riM 


I 


. 


*pj^/vt.  -  7  ks*-* 

'• 


?  • 


\ 


THE  NATIONAL  COOK  BOOK 


THE   NATIONAL 
.  COOK  BOOK 


BY 
MARION   HARLAND 

AND 

CHRISTINE  TERHUNE   HERRICK 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 
1896 


COPYRIGHT,  1896,  BY 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


TROW  DIRECTORY 
4TINQ  AND  BOOKBINDING  COMPANY 
NEW  YORK 


GENERAL  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

Pages 

Aftermath, 526-530 

Appetizers, 1-9 

Beverages, 472-430 

Bread,    328-354 

Broths, *  18-28 

Cakes  and  Cake-making,     .  357-377 

Candies,  Home-made,    .        •        .        .        .  481-483 

Canned  Fruits,       .        .        .        .        .  •      .  484-488 

Catsups,  Relishes,  Flavoring  Vinegars,  etc*,  506-509 

Chafing-dish,  With  the,     -'.        .      V^    -T  520-525 

Cheese  Dishes,        .        .*       .        .        .        '.  209-214 

Custards,  Blanc-mange,  Jellies,  etc*,    *•  '     .  436-450 

Eggs,     .       •       .      ..*    .'•  ;       .       .  ,    .  J88-206 

Fish,       .        *        «        •*     .        .        .        .  50-90 

Fritters, 409-4J4 

Fruit  Desserts,       *     '"*       ^        •        *'       '•  458-46J 

Game,    •       •       V      ^      *       *       •       ••  J76-J83 

Ices,        »       »       ^,    .        .      ^       .        .  451-457 

Jellies,  Fruit,  .        .  -    <T               .        *  488-490 


yi  GENERAL  TABLE    OF  CONTENTS 

Pages 

Meats,    ...,*•**  94-146 

Mushrooms,   *         * 284-291 

Nursery  Table,  The, 513-519 

Pickles, 498-505 

Pies, 423-433 

Poultry, 149-173 

Preserved  Fruits, 493-497 

Puddings,       «.*••«•  378-399 

Salads,   .  294-312 

Sandwiches,   « 466-471 

Sauces,  Pudding, 403-408 

Sauces,  Something  About,    .        »        *        *  313-327 

Savories, 462-465 

Shortcakes,  Tea-cakes,  et<%,          .        *        .  415-417 
Soups,     ..***•»•        10-44 

Sweet  Omelets,      *        .        *    ^ ',.    .        •  434-435 

Vegetables, j  221-291 


V  Thanks  are  due  to  Messrs.  Harper  &>  Brothers  for  permission 
to  use  certain  recipes  and  directions,  which,  under  a  slightly  different 

form,  were  printed  in  "  Harper's  Bazar." 

C.  T.  H. 


INTRODUCTORY 

THE  thousand  recipes  in  this  volume  represent  seven  years  of 
accumulation  and  selection  of  material  which  we  believe  will  be 
of  value  to  our  sister  housekeepers.  We  have  collected  these 
recipes  from  all  quarters  of  the  globe,  and  adapted  them  to  the 
American  kitchen,  making  patient  test  of  each  before  admitting 
it  to  our  store  of  available  matter. 

Circumstances  have  brought  both  of  us  into  constant  and  close 
association  with  housewives  all  over  this  dear  land  of  ours.  We 
have  made  them,  their  needs,  their  ambitions,  and  their  capa- 
bilities, a  study,  and  in  offering  THE  NATIONAL  COOK  BOOK  to 
them,  have  more  than  a  mere  author's  interest  in  our  readers. 
They  are  our  fellow-workers  and  friends.  Recollections  of  the 
gracious  acceptance  they  have  accorded  to  former  works  have 
cheered  us  in  the  endeavor  to  prepare  the  very  best  Manual  of 
Practical  Cookery  ever  put  upon  the  American  market. 

We  bespeak  for  it  a  fair  trial  in  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
homes  and  kitchens  in  which  "  COMMON  SENSE  IN  THE  HOUSE- 
HOLD "  has  found  a  loving  welcome  and  has  proved  itself  a  trust- 
worthy friend. 

MARION   HARLAND. 

CHRISTINE   TERHUNE   HERRICK. 


THE 


NATIONAL  COOK   BOOK 


APPETIZERS. 

A  SIGNIFICANT  token  of  the  advance  of  the  average  domestic 
caterer  in  knowledge  of  the  structure  of  the  human  stomach 
and  in  aesthetic  taste  is  the  honorable  position  now  given  on 
all  well-appointed  tables  to  what  are  technically  termed  hors- 
d'oeuvres.  We  are  moved  to  repudiation  of  the  foreign  phrase 
by  the  torture  it  suffers  in  the  mouths  of  chef  and  confectioner, 
and  by  the  desire  to  call  a  good  thing  by  its  right  name. 

Hors-d*  (Kuvres  means,  literally,  out-of-course,  or  out-of-order. 
The  misnomer  is  palpable  when  applied  to  the  incentives  to  the 
business  and  pleasure  of  eating,  and  to  the  assistants  in  the  work 
of  digestion  that  are  classed  under  the  conventional  heading. 
Each  has  place  and  course,  and  all  are  in  order. 

Especially  is  this  true  of  the  dainty  devices  that  precede  and 
enliven  the  regular  progress  of  the  social  luncheon  and  "course 
dinner."  The  ingenuity  of  the  professional  cook  and  the  lighter 
fancy  of  the  accomplished  housemother  are  taxed  to  swell  the 
number  of  these  and  to  contrive  such  as  will  play  well  their  part. 
We  see  peculiar  fitness  in  supplying  a  goodly  assortment  of  such 
"aids  and  comforts"  as  a  prelude  to  the  more  serious  opus 
which  is  to  follow. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


RAW  OYSTERS. 

Small  oysters  are  most  fashionable  for  this  purpose,  but  many 
epicures  cannot  forego  the  pleasure  of  seeing  and  eating  the  large, 
luscious  bivalves  which  have  made  the  American  oyster  famous 
through  the  world. 

If  not  served  upon  the  half-shell — as  is  always  best — lay  each 
oyster  carefully  upon  a  bed  of  pounded  ice  in  the  cavity  intended 
to  receive  him  in  your  oyster-plate.  Put  a  slice  of  lemon  in  the 
centre  of  the  plate.  If  you  use  the  half-shells,  set  them  also 
upon  pounded  ice.  This  is  better  than  scattering  bits  of  ice  over 
them,  which  in  melting  make  the  oysters  insipid. 

RAW  CLAMS. 

Use  the  Little  Neck  Clams  when  you  can  get  them,  and  serve 
as  you  would  oysters. 

OYSTER  COCKTAILS.  (No.  J.) 

Mix  together  a  tablespoonful  of  tomato  catsup,  half  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  Harvey's  sauce,  a  tablespoonful  of  lemon-juice,  a 
pinch  of  paprica,  one  of  salt,  and  five  drops  of  Tobasco  sauce. 

Have  ready  in  cold  claret  glasses  or  cocktail  glasses  small 
oysters,  which  should  have  been  kept  on  ice  until  wanted. 
Put  four  or  five  in  each  glass,  and  pour  a  generous  teaspoonful  of 
the  mixture  on  them. 

OYSTER  COCKTAILS.  (No.  2.) 

Thirty  small  oysters.  For  sauce  have  two  tablespoonfuls  of 
lemon-juice,  a  teaspoonful  of  finely  grated  horseradish,  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  tomato  catsup,  a  pinch  of  salt,  and  a  smaller  pinch  of 
cayenne,  ten  drops  of  Tobasco.  Mix  well  and  divide  between 
six  cocktail  glasses,  each  containing  five  oysters. 

CAVIARE  SAUTE. 

Melt  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  in  the  chafing-dish  or  frying- 
pan,  and  when  it  is  very  hot  turn  into  it  the  contents  of  a 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  3 

* 

two-pound  can  of  caviare.  Stir  until  the  caviare  is  heated 
through.  Season  with  as  much  red  pepper  as  will  lie  on  the 
point  of  a  penknife,  squeeze  in  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon,  and 
serve  the  caviare  upon  small  squares  or  crescents  of  buttered  toast. 

CAVIARE  BARS. 

Open  a  box  of  caviare  two  hours  before  you  are  to  use  it,  and 
turn  into  a  china  or  stone-ware  vessel,  to  rid  it  of  the  airless 
taste  and  smell  imparted  by  the  can.  Half-an-hour  or  so  before 
serving,  beat  into  it  the  juice  of  a  lemon  and  two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  olive  oil  until  it  is  like  thick  cream.  Have  ready  thin 
slices  of  buttered  bread  an  inch  and  a  half  wide  and  a  little  over 
three  inches  long.  Spread  the  caviare  mixture  upon  the  but- 
tered side  of  one  slice  and  lay  the  other  upon  it  as  with  sand- 
wiches. When  all  are  prepared,  pile  the  bars  neatly  upon  a  cold 
plate,  and  cover  with  a  napkin  until  they  are  sent  to  table. 

ANCHOVY  BARS. 

For  these  use  the  whole  anchovies.  Scrape  them  fine,  leaving 
out  the  skins,  and  work  to  a  paste  with  butter,  lemon-juice,  and 
a  little  cayenne  pepper  or  paprica.  Then  proceed  as  with  the 
caviare  bars. 

ANCHOVY  STRIPS. 

Cut  strips  of  buttered  bread  less  than  an  inch  wide  and  about 
three  inches  long,  and  spread  the  buttered  sides  with  anchovy 
paste,  sprinkled  very  lightly  with  cayenne  pepper  or  with  the 
Hungarian  sweet  red  pepper,  known  as  paprica. 

BACON  ON  TOAST. 

Toast  or  fry  thin  slices  of  bacon  until  crisp,  drain  from  fat,  and 
serve  on  thin  buttered  toast. 

SMOKED  SALMON. 

Cut  smoked  salmon  into  strips,  and  broil  it  over  a  clear  fire 
until  it  is  hot  through  and  well  marked  with  the  bars  of  the 


4  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

broiler.  Transfer  it  to  a  hot  plate  which  has  been  rubbed  with 
a  piece  of  lemon-peel,  baste  it  liberally  with  butter,  and  squeeze 
over  it  the  juice  of  a  lemon. 

SMOKED  SPRATS. 

Butter  a  baking-pan  lightly,  lay  in  it  smoked  sprats,  and  leave 
them  in  the  oven  until  they  are  smoking  hot.  Serve  French 
mustard  and  pass  lemon  with  them. 

GRILLED  SARDINES. 

Drain  and  skin  boneless  sardines.  Heat  two  tablespoonfuls  of 
butter  in  a  chafing-dish  and  saute  the  sardines  in  this,  turning 
them  once.  When  very  hot  season  with  salt,  a  little  cayenne, 
and  the  juice  of  a  lemon.  Serve  on  toast. 

SARDINE  AND  OLIVE  SANDWICHES. 

Scrape  the  sardines  to  a  paste,  rejecting  the  skins  and  bones, 
and  rub  smooth  with  butter,  lemon -juice,  and  a  dash  of  red  pep- 
per. Have  ready  small,  triangular  slices  of  bread,  buttered  upon 
the  loaf,  and  then  cut  evenly  and  thin,  spread  the  buttered  sides 
with  the  mixture,  press  together  lightly,  and  heap  upon  a  dish. 

You  can  vary  these  sandwiches  agreeably  by  mincing  olives  fine 
and  working  into  the  paste  above  described,  then  making  this 
into  sandwiches. 

CHICKEN  SANDWICHES. 

Chop  the  white  meat  of  a  boiled  chicken  very  fine,  work  into 
a  paste  with  sweet  cream,  season  with  paprica  or  cayenne  and 
celery  salt,  and  make  into  sandwiches  as  already  directed.  If  you 
cannot  get  cream,  use  butter  for  mixing. 

CHICKEN  AND  ALMOND  SANDWICHES. 

To  the  chicken-meat  prepared  as  in  the  last  recipe  add  half 
as  much  almond  paste,  made  by  chopping  almonds  that  have 
been  blanched,  then  set  in  a  cold  place  until  stiff  and  crisp. 
Moisten  to  the  right  consistency  with  sweet  cream,  season  smart- 
ly with  cayenne  or  paprica  and  celery  salt,  and  make  into  sand- 
wiches with  thin  slices  of  buttered  brown  bread — not  Graham, 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


DEVILED  EGG  SANDWICHES. 

Rub,  or  pound,  the  yolks  of  hard-boiled  eggs  that  are  per- 
fectly cold  and  mealy,  to  a  powder,  and  wet  up  with  salad 
oil,  seasoning  to  taste  with  French  mustard,  cayenne  or  paprica, 
and  salt,  with  a  dash  of  lemon-juice.  Work  to  a  smooth  yellow 
cream  and  spread  between  thin  slices,  or  strips,  of  buttered 
brown  bread. 

If  seasoned  piquantly,  these  will  be  delicious  and  a  pleasant 
spur  to  appetite. 

BRUNETTES. 

Dip  the  crisp  inner  leaves  of  lettuce  in  a  French  dressing  of 
salad  oil,  vinegar,  pepper,  and  salt.  Lift  each  out  with  the  tips 
of  your  fingers  and  lay  them  between  thin  slices  of  buttered  brown 
bread  cut  into  triangles  and  spread  with  cream  cheese — Philadel- 
phia or  Neufchatel,  or  the  home-made  cottage  cheese — worked 
soft  with  cream. 

The  lettuce  must  not  lie  one  instant  in. the  dressing  if  you 
would  have  it  crisp  and  juicy.  Dip  it  in,  roll  it  over,  and  take 
it  out  at  once. 

These  are  especially  acceptable  at  hot-weather  luncheons  and 
afternoon  teas. 

LETTUCE  SANDWICHES 

are  made  like  the  Brunettes,  leaving  out  the  cheese.  They  are 
best  with  brown  bread,  although  palatable  if  fresh  home-made 
white  bread,  light  and  sweet,  be  used. 

CRESSLETS. 

Pick,  without  bruising,  the  leaves  of  fresh,  succulent  water- 
cresses  from  the  stems,  toss  them  over  and  over  quickly,  with  a 
silver  fork,  in  a  French  dressing,  and  spread  between  thin  tri- 
angles of  buttered  brown  bread  spread  with  cream  cheese. 

These,  and  other  sandwiches  made  with  green  salads,  must  be 
eaten  as  soon  as  possible  after  they  are  made,  and  be  kept  on  ice 
until  they  go  to  table. 


. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


NASTURTIUM  SANDWICHES. 

Butter  and  cut  into  thin  slices  a  light  white  loaf,  and  spread 
between  them  fresh  petals  of  nasturtium  flowers,  each  petal 
overlapping  the  next  half-way  in  its  length  to  give  substance  to 
the  sandwich  "filling."  These  need  no  other  seasoning  than 
their  own  native  piquancy.  Garnish  the  dish  with  whole 
flowers,  or,  if  served  singly  on  plates,  lay  a  flower  upon  each 
square  or  triangular  sandwich. 

OLIVE  AND  CAPER  BARS. 

Mince  very  finely  olives  and  mix  with  one-third  the  quantity 
of  finely  chopped  capers.  Work  up  smoothly  with  butter,  or 
oil,  paprica  or  cayenne,  and  celery  salt,  and  spread  between  thin 
strips  of  buttered  brown  bread. 

You  can  vary  this  spicy  appetizer  by  substituting  green  nas- 
turtium pods  for  the  capers. 

PEA-NUT  SANDWICHES. 

Skin  fresh-roasted  pea-nuts,  and  pound  fine.  Work  to  a  paste 
with  melted  butter,  season  with  salt  and  cayenne,  or  paprica, 
and  spread  between  thin  squares,  triangles,  or  bars  of  brown  or 
white  bread. 

They  will  be  really  very  good. 

DEVILED  SHRIMPS. 

Chop  canned  or  fresh  shrimps  fine  ;  beat  to  a  paste  with  olive 
oil  or  melted  butter ;  season  with  lemon-juice,  Worcestershire 
sauce,  cayenne,  and  celery  salt,  and  spread  them  between  but- 
tered and  toasted  "  sal  tines  "  or  small  "snowflake"  crackers, 
or,  should  you  prefer,  thin  slices  of  buttered  bread. 

SALTED  ALMONDS. 

Blanch  the  almonds  by  pouring  boiling  water  upon  them,  let- 
ting them  stand  ten  minutes  in  this,  closely  covered,  then,  pour- 
ing it  off  and  covering  the  nuts  with  more  water  from  the  boiling 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  J 

kettle.  As  soon  as  you  can  bear  your  fingers  in  the  water,  begin 
to  strip  the  skins  from  the  almonds,  and  spread  upon  a  sieve  or 
cloth  to  dry.  They  should  be  cold  and  crisp  before  you  do 
anything  more  with  them.  The  neglect  of  this  precaution  has 
spoiled  many  a  batch  of  salted  nuts. 

Have  ready  a  flat  baking-pan  in  which  is  a  good  lump  of 
butter,  soft,  but  not  melted.  Set  the  pan  with  butter  and  al- 
monds in  it  upon  the  range  and  stir  briskly  until  each  nut  is 
well  coated.  Then  put  pan  and  contents  into  a  brisk  oven, 
stirring  every  few  minutes  until  the  nuts  are  lightly  browned. 
Sprinkle  thickly  with  fine  salt  while  hissing  hot,  and  turn  out 
upon  tissue-paper  to  cool. 

Or- 

Cover  the  blanched,  cooled,  and  dried  almonds  with  salad 
oil,  and  spread  them  upon  a  shallow  dish.  Leave  in  a  cold 
place  for  an  hour  or  two,  stirring  them  up  several  times  to  keep 
the  nuts  coated ;  turn  oil  and  nuts  into  the  baking-pan  (there 
should  be  just  enough  oil  to  keep  them  from  burning),  and  roast 
briskly  in  a  quick  oven,  stirring  frequently  to  prevent  burning. 
Transfer  to  a  broad  platter,  sift  fine  salt  over  them,  tossing  them 
with  a  fork  to  get  each  kernel  well  salted,  and  put  upon  a  paper 
to  dry. 

SALTED  PEA -NUTS. 

Blanch  and,  when  cold  and  dry,  proceed  as  with  almonds,  to 
which  they  are  preferred  by  some  people.  Filberts  may  be 
treated  in  the  same  way,  also  English  walnuts  and  pecans.  The 
last  two  need  not  be  blanched. 

Almonds,  pea-nuts,  filberts,  and  walnuts  are  often  mixed  to- 
gether when  served,  that  the  eater  may  take  his  choice. 


Fresh  fruits  are  among  the  most  popular  and  efficient  of  appe- 
tizers. The  juices  arouse  the  digestive  organs  to  their  duty  by 
clearing  the  coat  of  the  stomach  of  the  mucus  lining  that  has 
gathered  upon  it  during  a  period  of  inactivity.  Clogged  by  this, 


8  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

the  much-abused  organ  acts  sluggishly,  and  is  overloaded  before 
it  fairly  appreciates  what  work  is  laid  out — or  in — for  it. 


GRAPE-FRUIT  OR  SHADDOCKS. 

Both  names  are  absurd.  The  now  much  sought-after  delicacy 
is  a  species  of  sour  orange.  The  botanical  name  is  Citrus  decu- 
mana,  and  tradition  says  it  was  brought  to  Europe  first  by  a  cer- 
tain Captain  Shaddock.  By  what  system  of  analogical  reason- 
ing it  acquired  the  title  of  "  grape-fruit  "  is  an  unsolved  mystery. 
In  growth,  appearance,  and  taste  it  bears  no  resemblance  to  the 
fruit  of  the  vine,  but  the  name  will  be  used  in  this  book  as  a 
matter  of  convenience,  a  large  majority  of  readers  and  consum- 
ers knowing  it  by  no  other.  Each  lobe  or  section  is  separated 
from  the  rest  by  a  white  membrane  as  bitter  as  gall.  The  first 
care  of  the  caterer  upon  cutting  the  fruit  in  half  crosswise  must 
be  to  get  rid  of  this.  It  is  easily  drawn  out.  Now  with  a 
silver  spoon  dig  out  or  bore  a  small  hole  in  the  exact  centre  of 
each  half  of  the  fruit,  fill  and  heap  with  all  the  fine  sugar  it  can 
be  persuaded  to  hold,  pour  a  teaspoonful  of  sherry  or  Jamaica 
rum  over  the  sugar,  and  send  at  once  to  table,  as  the  sugar  and 
liquor  will  soon  toughen  the  pulp.  The  fruit  should  be  made 
ice-cold  before  it  is  cut. 

Dislike  of  the  bitter  membrane  leads  some  caterers  to  take 
the  pulp  from  the  peel  and,  cutting  it  into  small  squares,  to  serve 
it  in  small  glasses.  In  this  case  fine  sugar  is  sprinkled  upon  each 
layer  and  the  rum  or  wine  poured  in  when  the  glass  is  full. 

TUTTI-FRUTTI  IN  BOWLS. 

Remove  the  fruit  carefully  from  the  halves  of  the  grape-fruit 
and  lay  the  emptied  and  scraped  peels  in  ice-water  while  you 
prepare  the  filling. 

Cut  the  pulp  into  small  cubes,  and  several  bananas  into  pieces 
of  like  size  and  shape  ;  skin,  halve,  and  seed  white  grapes,  and  if 
you  can  get  them,  add  a  few  ripe  strawberries  to  the  mixture. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  9 

Wipe  the  bowls  made  of  the  peels  and  fill  with  this,  sprinkling 
sugar  among  the  fruits  as  they  go  in.  Add  a  good  teaspoonful 
of  sherry,  claret,  or  rum,  and  set  in  ice  until  served.  Waiting 
increases  the  quantity  of  juice  at  the  expense  of  flavor  and  ten- 
derness. 

A  pleasing  variety  of  this  dish  may  be  obtained  by  cutting 
grape-fruit  into  baskets  instead  of  bowls,  /.<*.,  leaving  a  strip  of 
the  peel  in  the  shape  of  a  handle  uj>on  one-half  of  the  fruit.  It 
is  prettier  than  the  bowls,  but  one  loses  half  the  peel  of  each 
shaddock. 

A  bow  of  ribbon  tied  to  the  handle  enhances  the  gay  effect. 

ORANGES 

may  be  prepared  as  a  first  course  or  dessert  according  to  any 
of  the  foregoing  recipes  for  grape-fruit,  or  served  whole  and  ice- 
cold.  They  are  cut  into  halves  at  table  and  eaten  from  the  peels 
with  a  spoon. 

GRAPES. 

A  bunch  of  hot-house  grapes,  decorated  with  a  bow  of  narrow 
ribbon  tied  to  the  stem,  is  a  pleasant  provocative  to  appetite  at 
breakfast  or  luncheon-time.  The  grapes  should  be  kept  on  ice 
until  they  are  served.  They  cannot  be  made  too  cold. 


SOUPS. 

AN  essay  upon  this  subject  lately  published  asserts  that  "  Noth- 
ing is  easier  than  to  make  good  soups."  The  reader  who  has  sat 
at  many  tables  in  town  and  country  is  driven  to  the  necessity  of 
questioning  the  truth  of  the  statement  or  to  the  conviction  that 
the  Average  American  Cook  is  the  stupidest  of  scholars.  So 
general  is  the  impression  that  soup-making  is  an  intricate  busi- 
ness, and,  as  our  A.A.C.,  just  alluded  to,  would  put  it — "  a  mussy 
and  fussy  piece  of  work  "  that,  when  done,  does  not  pay  for  the 
time  and  labor  expended,  that  the  everyday  family  dinner  of  the 
great  middle  class  does  not  as  a  rule  include  this  dish.  Our  men 
and  boys  are  disposed  to  despise,  or  be  impatient  of,  it,  being  in 
a  hurry  to  fall  to  work  upon  the  weightier  matters  of  the  meal. 
Each  of  them  could  dispose  of  his  pound  of  meat  with  potato 
accompaniment  in  the  time  consumed  in  swallowing  a  dozen 
mouthfuls  of  that  which  a  representative  man  of  the  people  com- 
plained openly,  "  did  not  stick  to  his  ribs." 

There  may  be  a  reason  for  this  popular  prejudice  more  worthy 
of  respect  than  silly  contempt  for  new-fangled  ways  and  foreign 
fads  would  be.  It  can  be  stated  in  a  single  sentence  : 

The  Average  American  Cook  has  never  mastered  this,  accord- 
ing to  our  essayist,  easiest  of  culinary  arts.  When  custom  or  con- 
vention, or  invalidism,  dictate  "soup  for  dinner,"  our  A.A.C. 
buys  a  bone  and  "  some  ' '  soup-meat ;  puts  them  over  the  fire  with 
"some"  water,  cooks  all  together  for  "some"  time,  and  serves 
it  up  in  "  some  "  fashion.  If  her  dishes  are  washed  with  a  like 
disregard  of  common  sense  and  comfort,  there  is  little  choice 
between  her  soup  and  her  dish-water.  Both  are  dingy,  greasy, 
unpalatable,  and  indigestible.  It  is  well  for  the  household  to 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  II 

which  she  ministers  that  this  article  of  food  api>ears  but  rarely  at 
the  head  of  her  board. 

Yet  the  making  of  soup  in  the  right  way  is  one  of  the  simplest 
of  kitchen  duties.  Once  in  the  pot,  and  set  at  the  side  of  the 
range,  the  prospective  savoriness  takes  care  of  itself  for  hours,  and 
is  the  better  for  being  left  alone.  When  removed  from  the  fire, 
turned  into  an  earthenware  vessel,  and  seasoned,  it  requires  an- 
other period  of  wholesome  neglect  that  the  fat  may  arise  and 
form  into  a  solid  cake.  Take  this  o(T,  and,  should  you  find — as 
is  probable  and  desirable — a  firm  jelly  below,  warm  the  soup 
until  it  will  flow  freely  through  a  fine  soup-sieve  and  strain  out 
meat,  bones,  and  vegetables.  You  have  now  so  many  pints,  or 
quarts,  of  "  stock,"  the  strength  of  which  depends  upon  the  raw 
material  that  went  into  the  kettle,  and  slow  cooking.  As  the  end 
to  be  gained  is  the  extraction  of  every  particle  of  nourishment 
from  the  meat,  etc.,  the  soup  should  never  boil  fast.  This  is  a 
rule  without  exception.  Soup-making  is  a  process  that  cannot 
be  hurried.  Therefore,  keep  a  long  look  ahead  upon  the  stock - 
pot,  which  should  never  be  of  metal.  The  hireling's  practice  of 
letting  soup  get  cold  in  the  kettle  in  which  it  was  cooked  is  un- 
clean and  unwholesome. 

Upon  this  stock  there  may  be  founded  an  endless  variety  of 
gravy  soups,  clear  soups,  and,  what  some  judges  of  really  good 
living  rate  as  most  useful  and  relishful  of  all — the  great  and  re- 
spectable family  of  broths,  purees,  and  cream  soups.  In  the  manu- 
facture of  these,  the  ingenious  housewife  finds  scope  for  many 
inventions.  The  laws  governing  clear  soups  have  a  certain  con- 
servative rigor  becoming  the  rank  they  take  in  the  family  bill-of- 
fare.  They  must  be  made  of  fresh,  raw  meat,  and,  when  twice 
strained,  require  to  be  also  clarified,  and  if  too  pale,  must  be  arti- 
ficially colored.  Compared  with  them  the  broths  are  Bohemian, 
a  hearty,  happy-go-lucky  tribe,  adapting  themselves  easily  to 
divers  and  incongruous  constituent  elements  and  thickening  up 
in  a  jolly,  democratic  spirit  which  commends  them  to  children 
and  homely  folk. 


12  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


CLEAR  SOUPS. 

STOCK  FOR  CLEAR  SOUPS. 

Four  pounds  of  beef  bones,  well  cracked.  One  pound  of 
chopped  lean  beef.  One  pound  of  lean  veal,  also  minced  fine. 
Six  quarts  of  cold  water.  Salt  and  pepper  to  taste.  One  table- 
spoonful  of  kitchen  bouquet. 

Put  meat  and  bones,  without  seasoning,  into  a  clean  soup- 
kettle,  cover  with  cold  water,  and  let  them  stand  in  a  cool  place 
one  hour.  See  then  that  the  chopped  meat  is  broken  apart  and 
softened  so  that  it  will  not  be  likely  to  form  into  a  tough  mass 
while  cooking.  Set  at  one  side  of  the  range  where  it  will  not 
reach  the  boiling  point  under  an  hour,  and  when  this  is  reached 
keep  it  simmering  for  five  hours  longer. 

Remove  from  the  fire,  turn  into  a  stoneware  bowl  or  crock, 
season  to  taste,  and  let  it  stand  all  night,  or  until  it  is  perfectly 
cold.  Take  off  all  the  fat,  strain  out  the  meat  and  bones,  and 
set  away  for  use. 

You  have  now  a  nearly  colorless  bouillon,  susceptible  of  many 
and  agreeable  modifications.  Some  cooks  put  into  the  soup- 
kettle  a  carrot,  a  turnip,  and  an  onion,  cut  into  dice.  The 
vegetables  give  body  and  flavor  to  the  stock,  but  undeniably  risk 
the  perfect  clearness  of  amber  soups  and  bouillons. 

AMBER  SOUP. 

To  one  quart  of  jellied  stock  add  the  unbeaten  white  and 
broken  shell  of  an  egg.  Stir  well  for  a  minute  and  set  over  the 
fire  where  it  will  heat  quickly,  not  withdrawing  the  spoon  or 
ceasing  to  stir  gently  until  it  is  smoking  hot.  Boil  fast  for  five 
minutes,  draw  to  the  side  of  the  range  and  throw  in  a  piece  of 
ice  the  size  of  an  egg,  or  a  little  cold  water,  to  check  the  boil  sud- 
denly. In  three  minutes  more  lift  very  carefully,  not  to  stir  the 
dregs,  and  strain  through  a  double  cloth  laid  in  a  colander.  Do 
not  press  or  stir  the  soup  until  all  has  dripped  through  that  will 


THE   NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  13 

pass  the  cloth,  then  take  up  the  latter  by  the  four  corners  and 
squeeze  it  over  another  bowl.  The  clouded  stock  may  be  used 
in  making  broths  and  as  a  foundation  for  a  puree.  Heat  the 
cleared  soup  quickly  to  the  boil  and  pour  into  the  tureen. 

SOUP  A  LA  RUSSE. 

Having  cleared  your  stock  according  to  the  foregoing  recipe 
and  reheated  it,  pour  it  into  the  tureen  and  lay  carefully  upon  the 
surface  as  many  nicely  poached  eggs  as  there  are  people  at  table. 

SWEETBREAD  SOUP. 

Boil,  blanch,  cool,  and  chop  very  fine  two  sweetbreads  ;  mix 
with  them  one-half  their  bulk  of  fine  crumbs,  previously  soaked 
and  rubbed  smooth  with  a  little  cream.  Beat  up  the  yolk  of  a 
raw  egg,  and  work  all  with  pepper  and  salt  to  a  paste.  Make 
into  small  balls  with  floured  hands,  and  set  by  for  half  an  hour  in 
a  cold  place.  Strain  off  a  quart  of  soup  from  your  stock  jar, 
when  you  have  skimmed  it.  Heat  and  boil  slowly  five  minutes, 
skimming  it  well.  Drop  in  the  balls  carefully — not  to  break 
them ;  simmer  ten  minutes  gently,  and  pour  into  the  tureen. 

CLEAR  BROWN  SOUP. 

Clear  the  stock  as  directed  in  recipe  for  Amber  Soup,  and  stir 
in  enough  caramel  to  color  it  to  your  liking,  bearing  in  mind 
that  too  much  will  give  a  sweetish  taste  to  the  liquid. 

The  caramel  is  made  by  heating  granulated  sugar  in  a  tin  cup 
or  agate  iron  saucepan  until  it  bubbles  brownly  all  over.  Add, 
at  once,  boiling  water — a  tablespoonful  for  each  spoonful  of  the 
sugar — and  stir  until  the  sugar  is  dissolved.  It  will  keep  well  in 
the  refrigerator  for  a  week  or  more. 

Some  palates  enjoy  the  flavor  of  cloves  and  allspice  in  browned 
soup.  The  whole  spices  are  used  and  strained  out  before  the 
caramel  goes  in.  Allow  six  cloves  and  four  allspice  to  a  quart 
of  stock.  Onion  flavor  should  be  imparted  by  grating  a  raw 
onion  and  squeezing  the  juice  through  a  cloth  into  the  heating 
stock. 


14  THE   NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

JULIENNE  SOUP. 

Cut  into  small  dice  and  parboil  two  carrots,  two  turnips,  three 
stalks  of  celery,  and  two  small  onions.  Drain  off  the  water  and 
let  the  vegetables  get  almost  cold  before  dropping  them  into  a 
quart  of  clear  boiling  stock.  Bring  rapidly  again  to  the  boil- 
ing point,  cook  ten  minutes  more  gently,  and  turn  into  a  tureen. 

This  is  the  simplest  form  of  Julienne  Soup.  There  are  many 
varieties.  Some  shred  the  vegetables  fine  and  add  tomatoes  and 
parsley,  in  which  case  it  ceases  to  be  a  clear  soup.  The  toma- 
toes will  cloud  it.  The  shredded  vegetables  look  well  if  cut  into 
short  lengths.  There  is  neither  comeliness  nor  convenience  in 
long,  hair-like  shavings  that  hang  from  the  sides  of  the  spoon 
when  lifted  to  the  mouth. 

A  dash  of  Worcestershire  sauce  improves  the  flavor  of  this 
soup. 

JULIENNE  PRINTANIERE. 

This  differs  from  the  ordinary  Julienne  soup  only  in  being 
made  of  Spring  (le  printemps)  vegetables.  Peel  and  cut  into 
short  shreds  two  young  turnips  and  three  young  carrots.  Shred 
two  Spring  onions.  Heat  an  ounce  of  butter  or  dripping  in  a 
frying-pan  and  add  the  shredded  vegetables.  When  partly 
cooked  add  a  quart  of  clear  stock,  a  tablespoonful  each  of  green 
pease  and  asparagus  tops  ;  simmer  until  the  vegetables  are  cooked, 
season  to  taste,  and  serve  with  croutons. 

CELERY  CONSOMME  ROYALE. 

Consomme  is  nothing  more  than  a  clear  bouillon  flavored  to 
suit  the  taste.  A  pleasing  variety  is  made  by  boiling  in  a  quart 
of  good  stock  four  stalks  of  tender  celery  until  they  are  ready  to 
fall  to  pieces.  Put  away  the  stock  without  removing  the  celery. 
When  perfectly  cold  take  them  out,  breaking  as  little  as  pos- 
sible, heat  the  soup,  clearing  it  with  white  of  egg  if  necessary, 
strain  through  a  cloth,  without  pressing,  into  a  clean  kettle,  and 
when  it  boils  add  the  little  cubes  that  give  it  its  name.  Cook  gen- 
tly one  minute  and  turn  into  the  tureen.  Some  authorities  ad- 


THE   NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  15 

vise  that  the  cubes  be  placed  in  the  tureen  without  cooking  in 
the  soup  and  the  hot  liquid  be  poured  upon  them.  The  objec- 
tion to  this  is  that  a  good  handful  of  the  cold  royales  will  cool 
the  soup  perceptibly. 

To  make  the  royales : 

Heat  in  one  saucepan  three  tablespoon fuls  of  milk  ;  in  another 
the  same  quantity  of  clear  stock.  When  the  milk  is  scalding  hot, 
add  it  gradually  to  two  well-beaten  eggs.  Mix  with  the  boiling 
stock  a  roux  made  by  heating  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  to  a  bub- 
bling boil,  and  stirring  into  it  a  tablespoonful  of  flour  until  you 
have  a  smooth  paste.  Season  the  stock  with  paprica  and  salt. 
Stir  the  custard  made  with  a  beaten  egg  and  milk  over  the  fire 
for  one  minute,  or  until  it  thickens,  and  add,  still  stirring,  to 
the  stock.  A  pinch  of  soda  in  the  hot  milk  will  prevent  curd- 
ling. Mix  stock  and  custard  away  from  the  fire,  spread  upon  a 
flat  dish,  and  set  in  a  cold  place  to  harden.  When  cold  and 
stiff,  cut  with  a  sharp  knife  into  cubes  or  diamonds  half  an  inch 
square,  or  into  strips  ;  or,  if  you  like,  into  more  fanciful  shapes. 

This  is  a  nice  show  soup  for  a  dinner  party.  The  custard  is 
better  if  prepared  the  day  before  it  is  to  be  used  and  left  on  ice. 

VERMICELLI  OR  SPAGHETTI  SOUP. 

Break  the  vermicelli  or  spaghetti  into  inch  lengths,  and  cook 
tender  and  clear  in  boiling  salted  water.  Drain  this  off;  spread 
the  vermicelli  upon  a  dish  and  allow  it  to  get  almost  cold,  when 
drop  into  a  quart  of  (cleared)  boiling  stock ;  let  it  just  boil 
again,  and  serve.  The  pipe  macaroni  may  be  used  in  like  man- 
ner, cut  into  quarter-inch  lengths  after  it  is  cooked. 

CLEAR  TAPIOCA  SOUP. 

Soak  two  tablespoonfuls  of  pearl  tapioca  in  a  large  cup  of  cold 
water  four  hours,  then  stir  into  a  quart  of  well-seasoned  boiling 
clear  stock,  and  simmer  ten  minutes. 

Pearl  sago  may  be  substituted  for  tapioca  if  desired,  but  should 
be  soaked  four  hours  in  cold  water,  and  one  hour  in  hot*  before 
it  goes  into  the  soup. 


1 6  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

CLEAR  SOUP  WITH  CROUTONS. 

Cut  slices  of  stale  bread  into  small  squares,  and  fry  to  a  light 
brown  in  good  dripping  or  butter.  Shake  off  every  drop  of  fat 
through  a  colander,  spread  upon  tissue-paper  laid  over  a  hot 
plate,  leaving  them  thus  for  five  minutes.  Put  them  into  the 
tureen  and  pour  in  a  quart  of  boiling  consomme. 

CLEAR  SOUP  WITH  GREEN  PEASE. 

Boil  the  pease  until  done,  but  not  broken,  in  salted  water. 
Drain  perfectly  dry,  put  into  the  tureen,  and  add  the  boiling 
soup.  Allow  a  cup  of  pease  to  a  quart  of  soup. 

CLEAR  CELERY  SOUP. 

Cut  into  inch  lengths  crisp  white  celery,  and  cook  tender  in 
boiling  salted  water.  Drain  well,  put  into  the  tureen,  and  add 
a  quart  of  boiling  clear  stock. 

GREEN  PEA  ROYALE  SOUP. 

Mash,  while  warm,  three  tablespoonfuls  of  green  pease  to  a 
pulp  ;  work  into  this  a  tablespoon ful  of  soup  stock,  a  teaspoon ful 
of  corn-starch,  and  the  beaten  white  of  an  egg.  Mix  thoroughly 
and  spread  upon  an  earthenware  (not  tin)  pie-plate.  Fit  above 
a  pudding-dish  of  hot  water,  which  will  just  touch  the  bottom 
of  the  plate  when  at  a  hard  boil,  cover,  and  set  in  a  quick  oven. 
The  mixture  will  be  firm  in  a  few  minutes.  Let  it  get  cold  on 
the  plate ;  cut  into  diamonds  or  squares,  and  drop  them  into  the 
hot  soup  three  minutes  before  it  goes  to  the  table.  The  soup 
must  not  boil  after  they  go  in,  as  they  are  rather  friable. 

CHICKEN  CONSOMME,  OR  BOUILLON. 

This,  the  most  relishful  of  the  bouillon  family,  is  in  great  re- 
quest at  luncheons,  afternoon  receptions,  or  "high  teas,"  and  in 
the  sick-room. 

One   fowl,  weighing   four  pounds,  jointed,   as  for   fricassee. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  IJ 

Four  quarts  of  cold  water.  Haifa  sliced  onion.  Two  stalks  of 
white  celery.  White  pepper  and  salt  to  taste. 

Put  the  chicken  over  the  fire  in  an  agate-iron  or  porcelain  - 
lined  pot,  and,  covering  with  the  cold  water,  set  at  the  side  of 
the  range.  It  should  not  boil  under  one  hour,  and  then  boil 
very  slowly  for  three  hours.  When  so  tender  that  it  will  drop 
from  the  bones,  add  the  onion  and  celery,  and  cook  gently  an 
hour  longer.  Turn  into  an  earthenware  bowl,  cover  closely,  and 
let  it  get  cold  with  the  chicken  and  vegetables  in  it. 

Now  remove  the  fat  from  the  top ;  put  the  soup  again  over 
the  fire  to  melt  the  jelly  from  the  bones,  etc.  When  liquefied, 
strain  through  a  colander  lined  with  a  bit  of  mosquito  net  or 
coarse  muslin,  and  let  all  run  through  that  will  pass  without 
pressing  the  cloth.  (What  will  not,  can  be  squeezed  into  another 
vessel  for  broth -stock.) 

Clear  the  soup  with  the  unbeaten  white  and  the  broken  shell 
of  an  egg  stirred  into  it  while  lukewarm;  continue  to  stir  while 
it  heats  to  a  quick  boil,  and  strain  for  the  last  time,  still  without 
squeezing  the  cloth. 

Serve  hot  or  ice-cold.  There  is  no  middle  ground  with  soups 
as  to  degrees  of  temperature. 

The  chicken  meat  should  be  saved  for  chicken  bisque.  It  will 
make,  also,  tolerable  croquettes. 

BROWN  CONSOMME. 

Three  pounds  of  lean  beef.  (The  coarser  cuts  will  do  for  this 
purpose.)  Two  pounds  of  lean  veal.  Five  quarts  of  cold  water. 
One  fine  stalk  of  celery,  cut  into  inch  lengths.  One  small  carrot, 
cut  into  dice.  One  good-sized  onion,  sliced.  Six  cloves,  six 
whole  peppers,  and  six  allspice.  One  tablespoonful  of  parsley. 
One  tablespoonful  of  "  kitchen  bouquet."  Half  a  teacupful  of 
butter. 

Cut  the  meat  into  small  bits,  less  than  an  inch  square.  Heat 
half  the  butter  in  a  frying-pan  and  fry  the  vegetables  to  a  fine 
brown  in  this.  Strain  them  out  and  set  aside  in  the  colander ; 
put  browned  butter  into  the  soup-kettle  with  the  half  you  have 


1 8  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

not  used,  and  when  again  hot  add  the  meat.  Stir  briskly  over  hot 
coals  to  make  sure  that  each  piece  is  first  coated  with  the  butter, 
then  browned,  lastly  not  scorched.  Lift  from  the  fire  and 
cover  with  cold  water.  Return  to  the  range  and  simmer  slowly 
for  an  hour,  after  it  is  smoking-hot. 

Now  put  into  the  pot  a  gallon  more  of  cold  water,  bring 
back,  very  slowly,  to  the  boil,  cover  the  pot  and  leave  it  to 
seethe  and  bubble  leisurely  for  at  least  five  hours.  At  the  end  of 
four  hours  add  the  browned  vegetables,  with  the  spices.  By 
the  time  the  six  hours  of  slow  simmering  are  up  you  should  have 
about  three  quarts  of  strong  brown  stock  besides  the  meats  and 
vegetables.  Do  not  remove  these  until  the  liquid  is  cold,  but 
do  not  wait  until  the  fat  has  hardened  upon  the  surface.  Strain 
them  out  then,  through  a  colander,  return  the  soup  to  the  fire, 
with  a  good  tablespoonful  of  salt,  and  bring  to  a  hard  boil. 
The  salt  will  throw  up  the  scum  to  the  top.  Skim  this  off  and 
strain  the  liquid  again,  now  through  a  coarse  cloth,  without 
shaking  or  squeezing.  Keep  in  an  earthenware  crock  or  bowl. 

This  process  may  sound  tedious,  but  examination  of  the 
recipe  will  show  that  the  amount  of  time  and  labor  expended  in 
actual  work  is  trifling.  Most  of  the  work  is  done  by  the  soup 
itself  if  the  fire  be  properly  regulated. 

As  a  basis  for  a  fine  gravy,  and  other  brown  soups,  this  stock 
cannot  be  excelled.  Served  alone  as  a  nourishing  bouillon,  it  is 
most  satisfactory. 

BROTHS. 

Under  this  head  may  be  gathered  such  a  noble  army  of  tooth- 
some and  economical  soups,  purees,  and  potages  as  would  fill 
half  this  book  were  the  attempt  made  to  register  and  give  recipes 
for  all  of  them.  They  are  especial  favorites  of  the  thrifty  house- 
mother who  would  look  well  after  ways  and  means,  yet  feed 
wisely  and  agreeably  her  growing  family.  It  cannot  be  denied 
that,  while  clear  soups  are,  as  been  said  already,  elegant  and 
conventional,  the  best  of  them  are  deficient  in  such  nourishment 


THE   NATIONAL    COO  A'  BOOK  1 9 

as  is  to  be  found  in  what  the  French  call  the  pot-au-feuy  and 
what  we  know  as  "  a  good,  substantial  broth." 

In  a  well-managed  household  the  family  stock-pot  need  never 
be  emptied  except  to  be  washed  and  re-filled.  It  is  humiliating 
and  depressing  to  an  intelligent  caterer  to  reflect  how  much  that 
is  palatable  and  nourishing  goes  into  that  one  of  our  national  in- 
stitutions familiarly  defined  as  "a  swill-pail."  This  much-per- 
verted receptacle  should  receive  nothing  that  can  be  converted 
into  aliment  for  human  creatures.  Excepting  always  the  scrap- 
ings of  the  plates  used  at  table  and  such  bones  and  bits  as  are 
found  upon  them,  all  "  left-overs"  should  be  inspected  by  the 
mistress  of  a  house  before  they  are  condemned  as  "  no  good." 

Bones,  meat-rinds,  the  heels  and  crusts  of  loaves,  stale  bis- 
cuits and  hard  chunks  of  cheese,  cold  vegetables  of  all  sorts,  the 
fat  of  all  kinds  of  meat — in  a  word,  odds  and  ends  of  every  de- 
scription— have  capabilities  in  the  eye  of  the  accomplished 
cook  whose  own  the  kitchen  is,  and  to  whose  interest  it  is  to  get 
the  full  worth  of  a  hundred  and  one  cents  out  of  every  dollar. 

To  cite  one  item  of  unconsidered  waste,  apropos  to  our  family 
stock-pot :  Who,  among  even  notable  housekeepers,  insists  that 
the  water  in  which  rice  or  macaroni  is  boiled  be  set  aside  in  a 
cool  place  to  make  thicker  and  better  to-morrow's  broth  ?  Look 
next  morning  at  the  rice-water  Bridget  would  have  thrown  into 
the  sink,  and  you  find  a  tolerably  firm  jelly,  more  nutritious  than 
the  cereal  which  was  strained  out  of  it.  It  works  well  into  any 
kind  of  white  soup,  and,  joined  to  the  cupful  of  superfluous  liq- 
uid drained  from  yesterday's  stewed  tomatoes,  and  a  couple  of 
cold  boiled  onions,  can  be  wrought  up.  by  means  of  a  good  roux 
and  judicious  seasoning,  into  a  really  palatable  broth  for  the 
luncheon,  which  is  often  the  nursery  dinner. 

Instead  of  throwing  away  bones  and  the  outside  slices  of  roast 
and  boiled,  the  gristly  remnants  of  chops  and  steaks,  the  carcasses 
and  stuffing  of  fowls,  the  tablespoonful  of  gravy  and  the  tea- 
spoonful  of  white  or  brown  sauce,  the  single  cold  potato,  or  beet, 
or  turnip,  or  boiled  egg  left  from  to-day's  meals,  study  possibili- 
ties— especially  broth  ward. 


2O  THE   NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

SCOTCH  BROTH. 

One  generous  quart  of  stock  made  by  boiling  down  the  water 
in  which  a  leg  of  mutton  was  cooked  until  you  have  half  the 
original  quantity. 

Or  by  boiling  for  eight  hours  the  bones  left  from  roast  mut- 
ton, or  the  "trimmings"  sent  home  by  the  butcher  who  pre- 
pared the  roast  and  chops  for  the  table.  If  raw  meat  and  bones 
are  used,  allow  one  quart  of  water  to  each  pound.  Be  careful  to 
skim  all  the  fat  from  the  stock.  Mutton-fat  is  tallow,  unpalata- 
ble and  indigestible. 

Half  a  cup  of  pearl  barley,  or  rice.  One  medium-sized  onion, 
minced.  One  tablespoonful  of  minced  parsley.  Two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  white  roux. 

Wash  the  barley  or  rice  and  soak  in  cold  water  one  hour. 
Put  the  stock  over  the  fire  with  the  onion  and  bring  to  a  rapid 
boil.  Add  the  barley  (or  rice)  and  simmer  for  three-quarters  of 
an  hour ;  put  in  the  parsley  and  cook  five  minutes  more  before 
stirring  in  a 

WHITE  ROUX. 

This  same  roux  is  so  essential  to  the  right  making  of  thick 
soups  that  explanation  should  be  made  here  of  the  meaning  of 
the  term. 

Heat  one  tablespoonful  of  butter  in  a  frying-pan,  and  when  it 
hisses  stir  in  boldly  a  tablespoonful  of  flour,  until  the  paste 
is  smooth.  The  flour  will  not  lump.  This  is  the  roux.  Into 
this  pour,  gradually,  beating  it  in  well,  half  a  cupful  of  the  hot 
broth  ;  pour  back  into  the  soup-kettle  and  let  it  boil  up  once  be- 
fore serving.  Season  to  taste. 

CHICKEN  BROTH. 

The  carcass,  neck,  pinions,  stuffing,  etc.,  of  a  roast  or  boiled 
chicken. 

Or  the  water  in  which  a  fowl  has  been  boiled,  simmered  down 
to  half  the  original  quantity. 

Or  the  gravy  left  from  fricasseed  chickens,  freed  of  fat  and 
thinned  with  a  little  hot  water. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  21 

By  any  of  these  means  get  a  quart  of  good  stock  ;  set  over  the 
fire  to  heat  quickly,  and  when  it  boils  add  three  tablespoon fuls 
of  rice  which  has  been  soaked  for  an  hour  in  cold  water ;  a 
small  onion,  cut  up  small  ;  salt  and  pepj)er  to  taste,  and  cook 
steadily  for  half  an  hour,  or  until  the  rice  is  soft.  Add  a  table- 
spoonful  of  chopped  parsley,  and  cook  ten  minutes  more.  Have 
ready  in  another  saucepan  a  cup  of  milk  made  scalding  hot,  and 
stir  into  it  a  tablespoon ful  of  butter  rubbed  smooth  with  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  corn-starch.  Cook  three  minutes,  stirring  to  pre- 
vent lumping,  remove  from  the  fire  and  beat  in  a  well-whipi>ed 
egg.  Return  to  the  fire  for  one  minute  ;  beat  up  hard,  and  turn 
into  the  tureen.  Pour  the  soup  carefully  upon  this,  stirring  all 
the  while  lest  the  egg  should  curdle.  A  bit  of  soda  no  larger 
than  a  pea,  boiled  in  the  milk,  will  help  to  prevent  this  catas- 
trophe. 

ENGLISH  BARLEY  BROTH. 

One  quart  of  strong  stock  made  by  boiling  the  bones  of  a  rib- 
roast,  or  steak  well  broken,  with  a  pound  of  underdone  beef  for 
six  hours. 

Or  if  raw  meat  is  at  hand,  allow  for  a  pound  of  chopped  lean 
beef  and  the  cracked  cooked  bones  aforesaid,  three  pints  of 
water  and  stew  it  down  in  four  hours  to  one  quart.  (Let  it  get 
cold  and  take  off  the  fat,  of  course.) 

One  onion,  one  carrot  cut  into  dice,  and  one  small  turnip 
also  cut  up  small. 

Haifa  cup  of  barley  soaked  for  an  hour,  with  minced  parsley 
and  sweet  marjoram,  pepper  and  salt  to  taste. 
,    Parboil  the  vegetables,  drain  them  and  put  into  the  soup-kettle 
with  the  barley  and  the  cold  stock.     Bring  to  a  slow  boil  and 
keep  this  up  for  an  hour,  before  the  parsley  goes  in. 

For  this  broth  you  want  a 

BROWN  ROUX. 

Heat  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  in  a  frying-pan  until  it  bubbles 
and  browns,  but  not  until  it  burns.  Stir  in  a  tablespoonful  of 


22  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

lightly  browned  flour  until  all  is  smooth.  Pour  into  the  fry- 
ing-pan gradually,  a  half-cupful  of  the  boiling  broth,  and  when 
well  mixed,  put  back  into  the  soup-kettle.  Boil  up  once  and 
serve  without  straining  out  the  vegetables. 

A  NEW  JERSEY  BROTH. 

One  quart  of  good  stock, — beef,  mutton,  chicken,  or  miscellane- 
ous. One  pint  of  tomatoes,  peeled  and  sliced.  One  cupful  of 
green  pease.  One  stalk  of  celery  cut  into  small  bits.  One  small 
onion,  chopped.  Two  tablespoon fuls  of  boiled  rice.  Pepper 
and  salt  to  taste.  Two  tablespoonfuls  of  white  roux.  Minced 
parsley,  and  summer  savory  (if  you  have  it). 

The  water  in  which  rice  has  been  boiled  may  be  used  effec- 
tively in  this  broth. 

Heat  the  stock  and  add  the  vegetables,  which  must  have  been 
parboiled  with  the  exception  of  the  tomatoes.  Vegetable 
« '  left-overs  ' '  can  be  utilized  here.  Simmer  all  together  for  half 
an  hour,  add  the  parsley,  cook  one  minute,  and  stir  in  the  roux 
as  before  directed. 

Simmer  five  minutes  longer,  and  pour  out. 

WHITE  VEAL  BROTH. 

The  best  use  to  which  this  often  indigestible  meat  can  be  put 
is  soup-making.  In  this  form  its  best  elements — the  gelatinous 
— come  into  play,  and  the  dreaded  fibres  are  thrown  aside. 

Three  pounds  of  coarse  lean  veal,  chopped,  or  a  knuckle  of 
veal  well-cracked.  Three  tablespoonfuls  of  raw  rice.  Four 
quarts  of  cold  water.  One  onion,  sliced.  Two  stalks  of  celery 
cut  into  inch  lengths. 

Put  all  together  over  the  fire,  and  cook  slowly  for  six  hours. 
Season  with  salt,  pepper,  and  kitchen  -  bouquet,  pour  into  a 
crock  or  bowl,  and  set  away  until  perfectly  cold.  ,  Remove  the 
fat,  warm  the  soup  to  free  the  meat,  etc.,  of  jelly,  and  strain  into 
a  bowl.  There  should  be  over  two  quarts  of  strong  meat-jelly. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  2$ 

To  one  quart  of  this  allow  three  tables poonfu Is  of  soaked  rice  ; 
put  over  the  fire  cold,  and  cook  gently  forty-five  minutes. 

Have  ready  in  a  saucepan  a  cupful  of  boiling  milk  in  which 
has  been  dropped  a  pinch  of  soda,  stir  into  this  two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  white  roux,  and  pour  into  the  broth. 

Veal  stock  is  rendered  less  insipid  if  the  carcass  of  a  chicken 
be  cooked  in  it.  A  slice  of  cold  corned  ham  is  also  an  im- 
provement. It  should  be  minced,  cooked  in  the  stock,  and 
then  strained  out.  The  rind  of  salt  pork  may  be  utilized  in  the 
same  way. 

VEAL  AND  SAGO  BROTH. 

Make  as  above,  substituting  pearl  sago  for  the  rice,  and  add- 
ing to  the  thickened  milk  the  frothed  white  of  an  egg.  It  is 
excellent  for  invalids,  and  may  be  made  yet  better  if  a  table- 
spoonful  of  rich  cream  be  stirred  into  each  cupful  when  served. 

TOMATO  AND  RICE  BROTH.    (WITHOUT  MEAT.) 

One  pint  of  tomatoes,  cut  up,  or  the  juice  from  a  can  of  to- 
matoes. Half  a  cup  of  rice  boiled  tender,  but  not  broken,  and 
a  good  cupful  of  the  water  in  which  it  was  cooked.  One  small 
onion,  minced.  One  cup  of  milk.  Three  tablespoon fuls  of 
butter  made  into  a  white  roux  with  as  much  flour.  A  teaspoon- 
ful  of  white  sugar. 

Season  with  pepper,  celery  salt,  and  minced  parsley.  Add  a 
good  pinch  of  soda  to  the  milk.  Stew  tomatoes  and  onion  to- 
gether for  half  an  hour  and  rub  through  a  colander,  into  a 
saucepan.  Return  to  the  fire  with  the  boiled  rice  and  rice- 
water,  season  to  taste,  add  the  sugar,  then  the  roux  made  liquid 
with  a  little  of  the  hot  broth  ;  boil  up,  stirring  well,  and  pour 
into  a  tureen  where  you  have  already  put  the  scalding  milk  and 
soda. 

Serve  while  still  foaming.  The  merit  of  this  broth  depends 
largely  upon  the  seasoning.  When  rightly  compounded,  it  is 
delicious. 


24  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

CHICKEN  BISQUE. 

This  is  a  good  way  of  using  the  remains  of  boiled  or  roasted 
fowls.  One  quart  of  stock  made  from  the  carcasses,  etc.,  of  the 
fowls,  well -seasoned.  Two  tablespoonfuls  of  white  roux.  Half 
a  cup  of  fine  dry  bread-crumbs.  Nearly  two  cups  of  minced 
chicken  (very  fine).  Chopped  parsley,  pepper,  and  salt. 

Heat  the  stock,  add  the  bread-crumbs,  let  it  boil,  put  in  the 
minced  meat,  bring  again  to  a  boil,  and  stir  in  parsley  and  the 
roux.  Boil  one  minute. 

If  you  are  short  of  stock,  heat  a  cup  of  milk,  stir  in  a  table- 
spoonful  of  butter,  then  the  crumbs,  and  add  to  the  scalding  stock 
in  which  the  chopped  meat  has  been  heated.  Boil  one  minute, 
take  from  the  fire  and  beat  in  a  well-whipped  egg  before  serving. 

Cold  turkey  and  duck  may  be  used  instead  of  chicken,  also 
cold  lamb,  but  not  mutton. 

VEGETABLE  BROTH.    (WITHOUT  MEAT.) 

One  carrot,  one  turnip,  one  salsify  root;  a  tablespoonful  of 
minced  cabbage  ;  two  potatoes,  parboiled  and  sliced  thin ;  two 
stalks  of  celery  ;  three  tomatoes  or  a  cupful  of  canned  tomatoes  ; 
half  a  cupful  of  green  pease  or  Lima  beans ;  two  ears  of  green 
corn,  or  half  a  cupful  of  canned  corn ;  one  large  onion,  sliced. 
Parsley,  salt,  and  pepper.  Three  full  tablespoonfuls  of  butter. 
One  large  spoonful  of  brown  roux. 

Cut  carrot,  turnip,  salsify,  and  celery  into  dice,  mince  the  cab- 
bage, cover  with  hot  salted  water,  and  boil  with  the  beans  or 
pease,  hard  for  fifteen  minutes.  Drain  out  the  vegetables  and 
leave  them  to  cool  while  you  fry  the  onion  to  a  light  brown  in  the 
butter  in  the  bottom  of  the  soup-pot.  Take  the  pot  from  the  fire 
and  stir  in  the  onion  and  butter  and  all  the  other  ingredients,  in- 
cluding the  parboiled  potatoes,  the  tomatoes,  and  the  corn.  This 
last  should  be  chopped  fine.  Cover  with  a  quart  of  cold  water, 
and  cook  gently  for  one  hour.  Stir  in  the  parsley  and  seasoning ; 
thicken  with  the  roux  to  prevent  the  mixture  from  becoming 
watery  and  separating  in  the  tureen,  and  serve. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK'  2$ 

You  can  make  a  white  broth  of  this  by  leaving  out  the  toma- 
toes, heating  in  a  separate  vessel  a  cupful  of  milk,  thickening  it 
with  a  teaspoonful  of  corn -starch,  and  beating  into  the  mixture  a 
couple  of  eggs  just  before  it  goes  into  the  tureen.  This  should  be 
put  first  into  the  tureen,  and  the  vegetable-broth,  made  as  above 
directed,  be  stirred  in  afterward.  Otherwise  the  eggs  may 
"  break,"  and  curdle  the  milk. 

A  good  Lenten  broth. 

ANOTHER  LENTEN  BROTH. 

Twelve  ripe  tomatoes,  peeled  and  sliced,  or  a  can  of  tomatoes  ; 
one  small  onion,  sliced  and  fried  to  a  light  brown  in  butter  ;  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  butter  rolled  in  the  same  quantity  of  flour  ;  one- 
half  cupful  of  hot  boiled  rice,  very  soft ;  one  teasi>oonful  of 
sugar ;  one  quart  of  boiling  water  ;  pepper,  salt,  and  chopped 
parsley  or  celery  tops.  Put  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  into  the 
soup-pot,  bring  to  a  boil,  and  fry  the  sliced  onion.  Add  the 
tomatoes,  and  stir  together  over  the  fire  until  smoking-hot  be- 
fore the  boiling  water  goes  in.  Stew  steadily  forty  minutes,  and 
put  all  through  the  colander  back  into  the  pot  ;  season,  bring 
again  to  a  boil,  add  the  rice ;  simmer  ten  minutes,  stir  in  the 
floured  butter,  boil  one  minute,  and  pour  out. 

CAULIFLOWER  BROTH.    (WITHOUT  MEAT.) 

One  fine  cauliflower  ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  rolled  in  one 
of  corn-starch ;  one  onion ;  bunch  of  parsley ;  two  blades  of 
mace  ;  two  quarts  of  water  ;  two  cups  of  milk  ;  pepper  and  salt  ; 
a  pinch  of  soda  in  the  milk.  Cut  the  cauliflower  into  bunches, 
reserving  about  a  cupful  of  small  clusters  to  put  whole  into  the 
soup.  Chop  the  rest,  also  the  onion  and  herbs,  and  put  on  in 
the  water,  with  the  mace.  Cook  an  hour,  and  rub  through  a 
colander.  Return  the  puree  thus  obtained  to  the  pot,\md  sea- 
son with  pepper  and  salt.  As  it  boils,  stir  in  the  whole  clusters, 
previously  boiled  tender  in  hot,  salted  water,  and  left  to  cool. 
When  the  soup  is  again  hot,  put  in  the  butter  and  corn-starch ; 


26  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

stir  until  this  has  thickened ;  pour  into  the  tureen,  and  add  the 
boiling  milk.     Pass  sliced  lemon  and  cream-crackers  with  it. 

CORN  CHOWDER. 

Twelve  ears  of  green  corn,  and  two  onions  sliced ;  three  large 
potatoes,  or  six  small,  parboiled.  Six  Boston  crackers,  well  but- 
tered and  soaked  five  minutes  in  boiling  water.  Three  table- 
spoonfuls  of  butter  and  one  cup  of  milk.  Parsley,  pepper,  and 
salt.  A  pinch  of  soda  in  the  milk.  One  beaten  egg.  One 
quart  of  boiling  water. 

Fry  the  onions  in  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  in  the  soup- 
kettle.  Remove  this  to  the  table  and  take  out  the  onions  with  a 
skimmer,  leaving  the  browned  butter  in  the  bottom.  Put  into 
this  a  layer  of  corn  cut  from  the  cob,  then  of  crackers,  next  of 
sliced  parboiled  potatoes,  seasoning  as  you  go,  until  all  the  in- 
gredients are  in.  Cover  with  the  hot  water,  and  cook  gently 
for  about  forty  minutes  after  it  begins  to  boil. 

Heat  the  milk  in  a  separate  vessel,  stir  into  it  a  tablespoonful 
of  butter  rolled  in  flour,  and  at  last  a  beaten  egg.  Pour  the  milk 
into  the  tureen,  then  the  chowder,  stirring  all  the  while.  This 
broth  or  chowder  may  be  made  in  winter  with  canned  corn,  but 
is  not  nearly  so  good  as  when  fresh  is  used. 

CORN  AND  TOMATO  CHOWDER. 

One  quart  of  tomatoes,  peeled  and  sliced.  One-quarter  pound 
of  chopped  salt  pork.  Two  onions,  sliced.  Six  ears  of  corn, 
sliced  from  the  cob  with  a  sharp  knife.  Two  tablespoonfuls  of 
rolled  cracker.  One  tablespoonful  of  flour  and  one  of  butter.  A 
dash  of  cayenne  or  paprica.  One  pint  of  boiling  water. 

Fry  the  chopped  pork  in  the  soup-kettle,  and,  when  it  begins 
to'crisp,  add  the  sliced  onion  and  cook  to  a  light  brown.  Then 
stir  in  the  flour,  and  cook,  stirring  all  the  time,  three  minutes. 
Upon  this  put  tomatoes  and  corn  in  alternate  layers,  seasoning 
as  you  go  and  scattering  the  rolled  crackers  over  each.  Cover 
with  hot  water  and  cook  slowly  forty-five  minutes.  Season  to 
taste,  stir  in  the  floured  butter,  boil  up  well,  and  serve. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  2? 


HIGHLANDER'S  DELIGHT. 

Two  pounds  of  veal  and  three  pounds  of  bones  (well-cracked) 
from  neck  or  knuckle  of  the  calf;  one  onion,  minced  fine;  one 
turnip,  one  carrot,  grated.  Bunch  of  sweet  herbs,  chopped  ;  half 
cupful  of  barley,  salt  and  pepper,  one  tablespoonful  of  oatmeal, 
four  quarts  of  cold  water.  Put  meat,  cut  into  dice,  bones, 
chopped  vegetables,  and  herbs  on  in  the  water  and  boil  very 
slowly  six  hours. 

Season  and  set  away  in  a  cold  place  until  next  day.  Take  off 
the  fat  two  hours  before  dinner,  strain  out  the  soup  into  a  kettle 
and  add  the  barley,  which  has  been  already  soaked  in  warm 
water  two  hours,  and  cooked  fifteen  minutes  in  enough  boiling 
water  to  cover  it  well.  Put  in  with  it  the  water  in  which  it  has 
been  cooked,  and  simmer  all  together  for  half  an  hour.  The 
oatmeal  should  have  been  soaked  several  hours  in  a  little  warm 
water.  Stir  it  into  the  soup,  and  let  all  boil  gently  together 
for  one  hour  before  pouring  out.  This  broth  should  be  judi- 
ciously seasoned. 

CHICKEN  AND  CORN  BROTH. 

Even  in  the  country,  where  old  fowls  must  be  disposed  of  in 
some  way,  it  is  seldom  economical  to  boil  them  to  pieces  just  to 
make  soup.  But  if  you  will  save  the  liquor  in  which  these  have 
been  boiled  the  day  before  for  the  table,  a  delightful  broth  may 
be  made. 

One  quart  of  the  liquor  cleared  of  fat  after  it  is  cold  ;  one  can 
of  corn,  chopped ;  or  eight  ears  of  green  corn  grated  from  the 
cob ;  one  tablespoonful  of  butter  cut  up  in  one  of  flour ;  one 
tablespoonful  of  minced  parsley  and  same  of  green  onion-tops ; 
pepper  and  salt ;  one  cup  of  boiling  milk.  Boil  corn  and  liquor 
slowly  together  one  hour  after  they  begin  to  bubble.  Rub 
thoroughly  through  a  colander,  season,  and  add  herbs.  Heat  to 
boiling,  stir  in  the  floured  butter,  simmer  five  minutes,  pour 
into  the  tureen,  and  add  the  boiling  milk. 


28  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 


VIRGINIA  GAME  BROTH. 

Two  squirrels  (the  wild  gray  squirrel)  or  two  wild  rabbits, 
called  "  hares  "  at  the  South — jointed  as  for  fricassee.  Two  cups 
of  Lima  beans;  six  potatoes,  parboiled  and  sliced;  seven  ears 
of  green  corn,  shaved  from  the  cob  with  a  keen  knife;  six 
tablespoonfuls  of  butter,  rolled  in  flour ;  one  quart  of  tomatoes, 
peeled  and  cut  up  small ;  one-half  pound  fat  salt  pork,  chopped  ; 
half  teaspoonful  paprica  or  cayenne,  and  twice  the  quantity  of 
black  pepper.  Salt  to  taste.  One  large  onion,  minced.  Two 
teaspoonfuls  of  white  sugar  ;  four  quarts  of  water  (boiling). 

Lay  the  game,  when  jointed,  in  cold  water,  slightly  salted,  and 
leave  it  there  one  hour.  Then  put  into  a  large  pot,  alternately 
with  the  pork  and  all  the  vegetables  except  the  tomatoes,  cover 
closely,  and  stew  for  three  hours  very  slowly.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  add  the  tomatoes  and  sugar  and  cook  for  another  hour. 
Season  to  taste  ;  stir  in  the  floured  butter,  cook  ten  minutes 
longer,  and  dish  in  a  vast  tureen.  Some  cooks  add  half  a  cup 
of  bread-crumbs.  Under  the  name  of  "  Brunswick  Stew  "  this 
was  a  famous  dish  at  the  barbecues  of  Old  Virginia,  but  it  is 
really  a  broth. 


CREAM  SOUPS. 

CREAM  OF  CELERY  SOUP. 

Two  cups  white  stock.  Two  cups  milk.  One  bunch  celery. 
Two  tablespoonfuls  flour.  Two  tablespoonfuls  butter. 

Wash  the  celery  and  cut  it  into  inch  lengths.  Cook  it  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour  in  enough  boiling  water,  slightly  salted,  to 
cover  it,  and  then  rub  it  through  a  colander.  Rub  butter  and 
flour  together,  put  them  in  a  little  saucepan  over  the  fire,  and 
stir  until  they  bubble.  Pour  upon  them  the  milk  and  the 
stock,  which  have  been  previously  heated,  and  stir  until  they  are 
thick  and  smooth.  Add  to  this  the  celery  and  season  to  taste. 
It  is  a  good  plan  to  reserve  half  a  cupful  of  the  celery  after  it  is 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK'  BOOK  2$ 

cooked  and  before  it  is  rubbed  through  the  colander  to  put  into 
the  soup  when  it  is  in  the  tureen. 

CREAM  OF  ONION  SOUP. 

The  large  Bermuda  onions  or  very  young  Spring  onions  are 
best  for  this.  Simmer  five  tablespoon fu Is  of  minced  onion  for 
one  hour  in  a  quart  of  good  stock — beef,  mutton,  or  veal,  or 
chicken.  Rub  then  through  a  fine  colander,  and  put  back  over 
the  fire  with  two  tables poonfu Is  of  white  roux,  stirred  gradually 
into  the  hot  soup.  Heat  in  another  saucepan  a  cupful  of  milk 
(with  a  bit  of  soda),  add  this  to  the  stock,  beat  in  the  frothed 
white  of  an  egg,  and  season  with  salt,  pepper,  and  minced  parsley. 

CREAM  OF  TURNIP  SOUP. 

One  quart  of  lamb  or  mutton  broth.  Two  cups  of  turnip 
dice.  Use  white,  young  turnips.  Cook  in  the  liquor  half  an 
hour  after  the  boil  begins,  and  when  very  tender,  rub  through  a 
colander.  Return  to  the  fire  and  proceed  as  with  cream  of 
celery  soup,  only  putting  in  both  white  and  yolk  of  the  egg. 

CREAM  OF  LETTUCE  SOUP. 

Shred  finely  two  heads  of  lettuce — the  greener  the  better. 
Cook  for  half  an  hour  in  a  quart  of  good  stock,  nib  through  a 
colander ;  return  to  the  fire,  stir  into  a  cup  of  this  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  white  roux  and  a  tablespoon ful  of  cold  boiled  onion, 
minced  fine,  and  one  of  minced  parsley.  Heat  a  cup  of  milk 
in  another  vessel,  season  with  pepper  and  salt,  stir  in  a  well- 
whipped  egg,  and  pour  this  mixture  into  the  tureen,  adding  fi- 
nally the  lettuce  soup. 

Send  around  Huntley  and  Palmer's  crisp  "  dinner  biscuits," 
which  the  eaters  can,  if  they  like,  drop  into  each  portion  of 
soup. 

CREAM  OF  SORREL  SOUP. 

This  is  best  when  made  from  the  more  delicate  species  of  sor- 
rel, such  as  infests  our  flower-borders,  but  the  commoner  red 
sorrel  of  the  farm  can  be  used. 


30  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

Wash  the  leaves  and  stems  thoroughly  and  cut  them  up  with 
a  silver  knife.  Cook  a  cupful  of  the  minced  sorrel  in  a  quart  of 
stock,  rub  through  an  agate-iron  (never  a  tin)  colander  back 
into  the  stock,  and  put  again  over  the  fire.  Cook  a  quarter  of 
an  hour  longer  and  treat  precisely  as  you  managed  the  cream  of 
lettuce  in  the  last  recipe.  The  bit  of  soda  in  the  milk  will  cause 
a  slight  frothiness  that  adds  to  the  pleasing  appearance  of  the 
soup. 

CREAM  OF  TOMATO  SOUP. 

One  can  of  tomatoes  or  the  equivalent  in  raw  tomatoes.  One 
quart  of  milk.  Three  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  and  one  of  corn- 
starch.  Salt  and  pepper  to  taste.  Quarter  teaspoon ful  of  soda. 
A  tablespoonful  of  minced  parsley.  A  good  teaspoonful  of  sugar. 

Cook  the  tomatoes  soft  and  rub  through  a  fine  colander.  Re- 
turn to  the  fire,  season,  and  stir  in  the  butter  rolled  in  corn- 
starch,  cooking  until  it  begins  to  thicken.  Have  ready  in 
another  saucepan  the  milk  scalding  hot,  add  the  soda;  stir  in 
well  and  pour  into  the  tureen.  Pour  the  tomatoes  into  this, 
keeping  the  spoon  busy  as  you  do  it,  beat  up  vigorously,  and  serve 
at  once. 

CREAM  OF  ASPARAGUS  SOUP. 

Cut  the  tops  off  and  parboil  by  themselves.  Cut  the  stalks 
into  short  lengths  and  cook  slowly  one  hour  in  a  quart  of  weak 
stock,  with  half  a  minced  onion.  Strain  and  press  through  a 
colander ;  put  the  soup  back  on  the  range  and  cook  the  re- 
served tips  very  soft  in  the  liquid.  Pass  again  through  the 
strainer,  rubbing  all  the  pulp  through  the  meshes.  Afterward, 
proceed  as  with  other  cream  soups.  (See  preceding  recipes.) 

SWEDISH  CREAM  OF  GREEN-PEA  SOUP. 

Boil  the  pea-pods  in  a  quart  of  weak  stock  with  a  sprig  of 
mint  for  half  an  hour,  when  strain  them  out  and  put  in  the 
pease,  also  a  lump  of  sugar  and  a  pinch  of  soda.  The  latter  will 
preserve  the  color  of  the  pease.  Allow  a  pint  of  pease  to  a  quart 
of  stock.  Rub  to  a  pulp  through  a  colander  when  they  have 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK'  31 

been  boiled  soft  ;  thicken  this  with  two  tablespoon fu Is  of  white 
roux  \  season  with  pepper  and  salt,  and  keep  hot  while  you  heat 
a  cup  of  milk  in  a  saucepan,  and  when  it  boils  jxmr  it  gradually, 
beating  steadily  with  an  egg-whip,  upon  two  well- whipped  yolks. 
Do  not  cook  this  in  the  soup,  but  pour  into  the  tureen,  and 
then  the  pea-broth. 

Drop  a  handful  of  croutons  (dice  of  fried  bread)  upon  the  sur- 
face. 

CREAM  OF  LIMA  BEAN  SOUP 

is  made  precisely  as  above,  only  omitting  the  jxxls  from  the 
stock.  It  is  very  fine. 


CREAM  OF  SPINACH  SOUP. 

Two  quarts  spinach.  One  quart  milk.  One  tablespoon ful 
each  of  flour  and  butter.  Salt  and  white  pepper  to  taste.  Tiny 
pinch  of  soda. 

Wash  the  spinach  thoroughly,  stripping  each  leaf  from  the  mid- 
rib. Put  the  leaves  on  in  a  double  boiler,  with  the  soda,  and 
cook  an  hour,  or  until  tender.  It  is  not  necessary  to  have  any 
water  in  the  inner  vessel.  When  the  spinach  is  cooked  soft  rub 
it  through  a  colander.  Make  a  roux  of  the  butter  and  flour,  add 
the  milk  and  the  pulped  spinach,  season,  and  serve.  A  delicious 
as  well  as  a  pretty  soup. 


CREAM  OF  BEET  SOUP. 

Select  six  large,  bright-red  beets  and  boil  carefully  in  their 
skins,  lest  they  bleed  white.  Scrape  off  the  skins,  chop  finely 
and  quickly  and  rub  through  a  colander  into  a  quart  of  white 
stock — veal,  chicken,  lamb,  or  mutton — and  treat  as  you  would 
other  cream  soups,  adding  a  little  more  floured  butter,  or  roux, 
as  beets  are  naturally  watery  and  thin-blooded.  The  soup  should 
l>e  of  a  delicate  pink.  Season  with  white  pepper,  or,  better  still, 
with  paprica,  and  salt. 


32  THE  NATIONAL  COOK  BOOK 

CREAM  OF  CORN  SOUP. 

Shave  the  corn  fine  from  the  cob,  or  if  canned  corn  is  used, 
chop  it  small,  and  proceed  as  with  the  other  cream  soups,  for 
which  directions  have  been  given. 


PUREES. 

POTATO  PUREE.    (Without  Meat.) 

Boil  and  mash  very  soft  and  fine  twelve  potatoes.  Heat  one 
pint  of  milk  in  a  saucepan,  add  a  parboiled  onion  (chopped), 
and  cook  slowly  ten  minutes.  Strain  out  the  onion  ;  thicken 
the  milk  with  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  rubbed  in  one  of 
flour,  boil  three  minutes  to  cook  the  flour,  and  put  into  the 
soup-pot  with  the  mashed  potato,  a  tablespoonful  of  chopped 
parsley,  pepper  and  salt  to  taste.  Cook  three  minutes,  beat  up 
well,  and  serve. 

If  you  can  spare  a  pint  of  good  stock  you  can  leave  out  the 
milk,  thicken  the  stock  with  a  white  roux,  and  having  cooked 
the  stock  and  potato  together  for  five  minutes,  pour  the  puree 
into  the  tureen  upon  two  well-beaten  eggs.  Put  in  your  egg- 
beater,  incorporate  the  ingredients  with  a  few  swift  whirls,  and 
serve. 

BROWNED  POTATO  PUREE. 

Put  three  tablespoonfuls  of  good  dripping  into  your  soup-kettle 
and  fry  in  it  one  dozen  potatoes  which  have  been  pared,  quar- 
tered, and  laid  in  cold  water  for  an  hour.  With  them  should 
go  into  the  boiling  fat  a  large  sliced  onion.  Cook  fast  but  do 
not  let  them  scorch. 

When  they  are  browned  add  two  quarts  of  boiling  water,  cover 
the  pot,  and  simmer  until  the  potatoes  are  soft  and  broken. 
Rub  through  a  colander  back  into  the  kettle  and  stir  in  a  great 
spoonful  of  butter  rolled  in  brown  flour,  a  tablespoonful  of 
chopped  parsley,  salt  and  pepper  to  taste. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  33 

In  another  saucepan  make  a  sugarless  custard  of  a  cup  of  boil- 
ing milk  and  two  well-beaten  eggs ;  take  from  the  fire  and  beat 
fast  for  one  minute,  put  into  a  heated  tureen,  beat  in  the  potato, 
and  serve.  This  is  a  German  puree,  and  very  savory. 

PUREE  OF  SPLIT  PEASE. 

One  quart  of  split  pease  soaked  in  soft  water  all  night ;  one 
pound  of  streaked  salt  pork,  cut  into  thin  strips;  two  pounds  of 
beef-bones  cracked  well ;  two  stalks  of  celery,  and  one  onion, 
chopped  ;  salt  and  pepper  to  taste  ;  four  quarts  of  cold  water  ;  a 
sliced  lemon.  Put  soaked  pease,  pork,  bones,  and  vegetables  over 
the  fire,  with  the  water,  and  boil  slowly  for  four  hours,  until  the 
liquid  is  reduced  nearly  one-half.  Strain  through  a  colander, 
rubbing  the  pease  into  a  pur£e  into  the  vessel  below.  Season, 
simmer  ten  minutes  over  the  fire,  and  pour  over  the  lemon,  sliced 
and  pared  and  laid  in  the  tureen. 

If  the  soup  is  watery,  bind  with  a  brown  roux  stirred  in  before 
the  last  simmer. 

PUREE  OF  MOCK  TURTLE  SOUP  BEANS. 

One  quart  of  mock  turtle  soup  beans  ;  one  onion  chopped  ; 
four  stalks  of  celery,  cut  small ;  two  quarts  of  liquor  in  which 
corned  beef  has  boiled;  pepper;  dice  of  fried  bread;  two 
lemons ;  one  quart  of  cold  water  ;  one  tablespoonful  of  butter 
rolled  in  flour.  Soak  the  beans  over  night.  In  the  morning 
pour  on  a  quart  of  cold  water,  and  set  them  where  they  will 
heat  for  an  hour  without  burning.  Stir  up  often  from  the 
bottom.  At  the  end  of  this  time  add  the  beef  liquor  (after  tak- 
ing off  the  fat),  the  onions,  and  the  celery.  Cook  gently  three 
hours  until  the  beans  are  boiled  to  pieces.  Strain,  rubbing 
through  a  colander,  season,  put  back  into  the  kettle,  boil  up, 
season  with  pepper,  stir  in  the  butter  rolled  in  flour.  Simmer 
five  minutes,  and  pour  upon  the  fried  bread  in  the  tureen.  Pare 
the  lemons,  slice  thin,  and  lay  on  the  surface  of  the  soup  before 
serving. 


34  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


GREEN  PEA  AND  TOMATO  PUREE. 

Cook  one  pint  of  green  pease  and  the  same  of  tomatoes,  and  a 
small  onion,  one  hour  in  a  quart  of  weak  stock.  Rub  through  a 
colander.  Return  to  the  fire  with  two  tablespoon fuls  of  butter 
rubbed  into  one  of  flour,  a  teaspoonful  of  sugar  and  a  teaspoon ful 
of  minced  parsley. 

Boil  five  minutes,  and  pour  upon  a  handful  of  fried  bread-dice 
in  the  bottom  of  your  tureen. 

RICE  AND  CURRY  PUREE. 

Boil,  in  a  quart  of  heated  chicken  stock,  a  half  cupful  of  soaked 
raw  rice,  a  minced  onion,  and  a  tablespoonful  of  chopped  pars- 
ley, for  half  an  hour,  or  until  the  rice  is  tender.  Stir  in  a  good 
teaspoonful  of  curry  powder ;  cook  one  minute,  and  turn  into  a 
tureen. 

A  pleasing  accompaniment  to  this,  or  any  preparation  of 
curry,  is  an  ice-cold  banana,  laid  with  a  silver  fruit-knife  at  each 
place.  The  eater  strips  back  the  skin  and  takes  a  slice  of  the 
cooling  fruit  between  every  few  mouthfuls  of  the  pungent  curry. 

This  is  an  East  Indian  fashion  and  much  in  favor  with  all  who 
have  tried  it. 

OX-TAIL  SOUP. 

One  ox-tail ;  one  stalk  of  celery  ;  one  onion,  sliced  ;  one  car- 
rot, :cut  into  dice  ;  two  tablespoon  fuls  of  butter ;  two  quarts  of 
weak  stock  ;  pepper,  salt,  and  chopped  parsley ;  a  sprig  of 
thyme  ;  one  bay  leaf. 

Fry  the  tail,  cut  into  joints,  in  the  butter  ;  take  them  out  and 
fry  the  onions  and  the  carrots  in  the  same.  Cover  with  the  stock 
and  cook  slowly  for  four  hours.  Season  and  turn  into  a  covered 
bowl  or  crock  to  get  cold.  When  several  hours  have  elapsed, 
take  off  the  cake  of  fat ;  warm  the  stock  slightly  and  strain 
through  a  colander,  reserving  a  few  joints  to  drop  into  the  soup. 
Heat  to  a  boil,  color  with  caramel,  and  serve. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  35 

CALFS  HEAD,  OR  MOCK  TURTLE,  SOUP. 

One  calf  s  head  ;  one  cupful  of  strained  tomatoes  ;  four  table- 
spoonfuls  of  butter  made  into  a  dark  roux  with  a  like  quantity 
of  browned  flour  ;  five  quarts  of  cold  water  ;  one  sliced  onion 
and  a  grated  carrot ;  one  large  tablespoon ful  of  caramel ;  one 
teaspoonful  of  allspice ;  one  saltspoonful  of  paprica ;  a  bunch 
of  soup  herbs  ;  salt  to  taste ;  juice  of  a  lemon  ;  glass  of  brown 
sherry. 

Boil  the  head  until  the  meat  leaves  the  bones,  and  let  it  get 
cold  in  the  water.  Leave  it  thus  until  the  next  day,  when  take 
out  the  head,  scrape  off  the  jelly,  and  extract  the  bones.  Set 
aside  the  meat  from  the  cheeks  and  skull  to  be  cut  into  dice, 
and  reserve,  also,  the  tongue.  Return  the  jellied  stock  with  the 
bones,  the  coarser  parts  of  the  meat,  and  the  ears  (chopped), 
the  soup  herbs,  the  scraped  carrot,  the  onion  (which  should  pre- 
viously be  fried  in  butter),  and  the  seasoning.  Cook  steadily 
one  hour.  Take  out  the  bones,  strain  the  soup,  thicken  with  the 
brown  roux  ;  boil  up  sharply,  drop  in  the  meat  and  tongue  dice, 
add  lemon -juice  and  wine,  and  pour  upon  the  forcemeat  balls  in 
a  hot  tureen. 

The  balls  are  made  of  the  brains,  nibbed  to  a  paste  with  the 
yolk  of  a  hard-boiled  egg,  stiffened  with  a  little  browned  flour, 
bound  with  a  raw  yolk,  then  rolled  in  browned  flour  and  set  in  a 
quick  oven  until  a  crust  forms  that  will  hinder  them  from  break- 
ing in  the  hot  liquid. 

This  is  a  delicious  and  an  elegant  company  soup. 

GUMBO.    (No.  J.) 

One  quart  of  strong  chicken  stock  ;  two  slices  of  corned  ham, 
cut  into  small  bits  ;  one  pint  of  strained  tomatoes  ;  two  dozen 
okra  pods.  Paprica  and  salt  to  taste.  One  onion,  sliced  and 
fried  in  a  tablespoonful  of  butter. 

Cook  ham,  fried  onion,  and  sliced  okra  in  the  stock  until  the 
okra  is  tender  ;  season  and  turn  out. 


36  THE   NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


GUMBO.     (No.  2.) 

Joint  a  tender  fowl,  wash  well,  and  roll  in  salted  flour,  then 
fry  in  good  dripping  with  a  sliced  onion  to  a  light  brown.  Or 
you  may  fry  half  a  pound  of  sliced  salt  pork  with  the  onion, 
strain  out  the  fat  and  cook  the  chicken  in  it,  until  tender  and 
ready  to  fall  to  pieces.  Add  now  a  cupful  of  strained  tomatoes, 
season  with  salt  and  paprica  or  cayenne,  and  when  the  boil  is 
again  reached,  put  in  two  dozen  fine  okra-pods  sliced,  and  cook 
half  an  hour  after  the  boil  is  reached. 

The  "  far-Southerners  "  do  not  consider  gumbo  perfect  with- 
out a  teaspoonful  of  sassafras  powder,  or  two  or  three  teaspoon  - 
fuls  of  chopped  sassafras  leaves,  an  addition  that  is  hardly  con- 
sidered an  improvement  by  the  uninitiated  palate. 

GffiLET  SOUP. 

Heat  one  quart  of  chicken  stock.  You  can  utilize  for  this  the 
liquor  in  which  a  fowl  has  been  boiled,  or  that  in  which  the  car- 
casses of  cooked  fowls  have  been  boiled  for  hours.  When  it 
boils,  stir  in  the  finely  minced  giblets  of  two  fowls  with  a  little 
chopped  parsley,  cook  half  an  hour  and  thicken  with  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  brown  roux.  Season  judiciously. 

This  popular  soup  is  made  still  better  if  force-meat  balls  of 
hard-boiled  yolks,  rubbed  to  a  paste  with  a  little  butter,  bound 
with  a  raw  egg  and  rolled  in  browned  flour,  be  dropped  in  one 
minute  before  the  soup  leaves  the  fire. 

LIVER  SOUP. 

A  palatable  and  inexpensive  soup  is  made  of  one  quart  of 
stock,  obtained  by  boiling  four  slices  of  corned  lean  ham,  or  a 
corned  ham-bone,  with  a  sliced  onion  in  two  quarts  of  water  un- 
til it  is  reduced  one-half.  Chop  the  ''left-overs"  of  fried  or 
stewed  liver  fine  with  a  little  ham,  and  add  to  the  stock.  Sea- 
son to  taste ;  thicken  with  a-brown  roux,  and  pour  upon  a  hand- 
ful of  croutons  in  the  bottom  of  the  tureen.  The  heart,  that 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  ROQK  37 

usually  comes  with  the  liver,  if  boiled  tender  in  the  ham -stock, 
may  be  minced  and  added.  Any  slices  of  fried  breakfast  bacon 
left  in  the  pantry,  if  chopped  fine,  will  improve  the  flavor.  If 
while  on  the  look-out  for  "  left-overs,"  you  espy  a  cold  boiled, 
fried,  or  poached  egg  on  the  shelf,  mince  it,  and  let  it  also  go 
into  the  soup.  Season  with  pepper  and  minced  parsley.  You 
will  be  surprised  to  find  how  good  the  product  of  the  hunt 
proves  to  be. 

RABBIT  OR  "OLD  HARE"  SOUP. 

One  rabbit,  jointed  as  for  fricassee.  One-half  pound  of  salt 
pork,  minced  finely.  One  large  onion,  also  chopped.  One 
stalk  of  celery,  and  chopped  parsley.  A  teaspoonful  of  Worces- 
tershire sauce ;  a  tablespoonful  of  tomato-catsup  ;  a  glassful  of 
brown  sherry  ;  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon  ;  two  tablespoon fu Is  of 
good  dripping,  and  a  heaping  tablespoonful  of  brown  roux. 
Salt  and  pepper  to  taste.  One  gallon  of  water. 

Fry  the  onion  in  the  dripping,  and  when  lightly  browned, 
add  the  pieces  of  rabbit,  cover  with  cold  water  and  cook  very 
slowly  for  four  hours,  or  until  the  meat  is  in  rags.  Season  with 
salt  and  pepper.  Let  all  get  cold  together.  Skim  off  the  fat ; 
strain  through  a  coarse  cloth,  return  to  the  fire  and  when  it  boils 
thicken  with  the  roux;  put  in  the  catsup,  wine,  lemofi-juice, 
and,  if  you  fancy,  a  pinch  of  ground  allspice.  If  not  brown 
enough,  color  with  a  little  caramel. 

Pass  Huntley  &  Palmer's  dinner-biscuit  with  it.  You  can 
cook  gray  squirrel  in  this  way,  and  indeed  tough  game  of  almost 
any  kind — grouse,  wild  ducks,  etc. 

MULLIGATAWNEY  SOUP. 

One  qtlart  of  chicken,  veal,  or  calf  s-head  broth.  One  small 
onion,  minced.  A  pinch  of  mace.  Half  a  cupful  of  soaked 
rice.  Juice  of  a  lemon.  One  generous  tablespoonful  of  brown 
roux.  One  teaspoonful  of  curry  powder.  Salt  to  taste.  One 
teacupful  of  strained  tomato-juice. 


38  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

Cook  the  rice  half  an  hour  in  the  broth  with  the  onion  and 
tomato-juice.  Stir  in  seasoning,  lemon-juice,  and  roux,  lastly  the 
curry  powder.  Boil  one  minute,  and  serve. 

Send  around  ice-cold  bananas  with  this  dish. 


CREAM  OF  OYSTER  SOUP. 

One  quart  oyster  liquor.  Two  dozen  oysters.  One  quart 
milk.  Two  tablespoonfuls  butter.  Two  tablespoonfuls  flour. 
Juice  of  half  a  lemon.  Salt,  pepper,  and  a  tiny  pinch  of  mace. 

Heat  the  milk  and  the  strained  oyster  liquor  in  separate  ves- 
sels. -Rub  the  butter  and  flour  together,  cook  them  in  a  sauce- 
pan until  they  bubble,  and  pour  on  them  the  hot  milk,  stirring 
until  the  mixture  is  thick  and  smooth.  Add  the  oyster  liquor, 
drop  in  the  oysters  and  cook  three  minutes.  Season  and  serve 
at  once,  adding  the  lemon-juice  after  the  soup  is  in  the  tureen. 

CLAM  SOUP 

is  m#de  in  the  same  way,  using  only  the  soft  parts  of  the  clams 
and  cooking  them  half  an  hour  in  the  liquor. 

OYSTER  BISQUE.    (Deliciotis.) 

Strain  the  liquor  from  a  quart  of  oysters  into  a  porcelain  or 
agate-iron  saucepan,  and  set  over  the  fire.  Chop  the  oysters 
quite  fine  and  having  seasoned  the  liquor  with  paprica  or  cay- 
enne and  salt,  stir  in  the  chopped  oysters,  and  bring  to  a  steady 
boil.  Have  ready  in  another  saucepan  a  cupful  of  hot  milk  into 
which  put  a  great  spoonful  of  butter  rolled  in  a  teaspoonful 
(even)  of  corn-starch,  and  half  a  cupful  of  finely  powdered  crack- 
ers. Boil  one  minute,  pour  into  the  tureen,  add  the  oyster  soup, 
and  serve. 

You  may,  if  you  like,  enrich  this  soup  by  beating  an  egg  into 
the  thickened  milk.  Do  not  forget  to  drop  a  bit  of  soda  into 
this  last  while  heating  it. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  39 

OYSTER  BISQUE  A  LA  REINE. 

Make  as  directed  in  the  foregoing  recipe,  but  add  a  pint  of 
strained  chicken-broth  to  the  oyster-liquor,  and  stir  into  the  milk 
and  crumbs  half  a  cup  of  finely  minced  white  chicken  meat. 
Season  also  with  parsley  as  well  as  with  salt  and  pepper.  The 
beaten  egg  must  always  go  into  this  bisque,  than  which  there  is 
no  better. 

CLAM  BISQUE. 

Make  as  you  would  oyster  bisque,  but  cook  the  chopped 
clams  for  fifteen  minutes  after  the  boil  is  reached,  and  add  to 
the  liquor  a  cupful  of  good  stock,  beef,  lamb,  or  veal.  Clams 
are  less  rich  than  oysters  in  themselves. 

FLORIDA  CLAM  BISQUE. 

Drain  the  liquor  from  fifty  clams  and  put  it  over  the  fire  with 
a  pint  of  veal  stock  (chicken  is  even  better),  a  teaspoonful  of 
minced  onion,  the  same  of  carrot  dice,  a  bay  leaf,  a  stalk  of  cel- 
ery and  a  little  chopped  parsley.  Cook  fifteen  minutes  after  it 
begins  to  boil,  strain  out  the  vegetables  and  add  two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  soaked  rice  to  the  liquor.  Cook  twenty  minutes,  put  in 
the  clams  chopped  fine,  and  simmer  twenty  minutes  more  before 
putting  into  a  tureen,  where  you  have  already  a  cupful  of  hot  milk 
thickened  with  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  rolled  in  corn-starch. 
This  mixture  should  have  been  cooked  in  a  vessel  set  in  boiling 
water  for  ten  minutes  before  it  went  into  the  tureen.  You  may 
have  a  handful  of  croutons,  i.e.,  fried  bread  dice,  also  in  the 
tureen. 

LOBSTER   BISQUE. 

Meat  of  one  boiled  lobster,  or  a  can  of  preserved  lobster ;  one 
quart  of  milk ;  one  quart  of  boiling  water ;  one  cupful  of  rolled 
cracker ;  four  tablespoon fuls  of  butter ;  pepper  (cayenne)  and 
salt.  Pound  the  coral  and  other  soft  parts  of  the  lobster  to  a 
paste,  and  simmer  five  minutes  in  the  boiling  water  ;  then  rub 


40  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

through  the  colander  back  into  the  water.  Cut  the  rest  of  the 
lobster-meat  into  dice,  and  pour  into  a  saucepan  with  the 
cracker-crumbs.  Pour  the  red  water  over  them,  and  heat  to  a 
boil,  when  add  pepper,  salt,  and  the  butter.  Simmer,  covered, 
half  an  hour,  taking  care  it  does  not  scorch.  Heat  the  milk, 
with  a  pinch  of  soda,  in  another  vessel,  and  after  the  lobster  is 
in  the  tureen,  pour  this  in,  boiling  hot.  Pass  sliced  lemon 
with  it. 

FISH  BISQUE. 

A  delicious  soup  may  be  made  of  halibut  or  any  other  good 
white  fish  that  has  not  too  many  bones  in  it.  Even  fresh  cod 
that  has  been  cooked  in  two  waters  will  do  for  this  dish. 

Heat  a  quart  of  good  stock  to  a  boil.  The  water  in  which 
halibut  has  been  cooked  may  be  used  if  you  have  no  other,  but 
veal,  or  beef,  or  chicken  is  better.  As  soon  as  it  boils,  stir  in 
the  fish,  minced  finely,  and  freed  from  fat,  skin,  and  bones. 
Add  pepper,  salt,  a  little  chopped  parsley,  and  a  great  spoonful 
of  butter.  Have  in  another  kettle  a  cup  of  milk,  heated  to 
scalding,  stir  into  it  a  tablespoonful  of  white  roux  and  half 
a  cupful  of  pounded  cracker.  Boil  up  once,  pour  into  the  tu- 
reen. When  the  fish  has  cooked  five  minutes  after  the  butter 
goes  in,  stir  into  the  thickened  milk  and  serve. 

An  egg,  well-beaten  into  the  milk  and  crumbs  with  an  egg- 
whip  before  the  mixture  is  turned  out  of  the  saucepan  is  an  im- 
provement to  this  excellent  bisque. 

Cold  fish  can  be  thus  utilized  with  satisfactory  results. 

SALMON  BISQUE. 

Salmon  "left-overs"  or  canned  salmon  steak  is  very  nice 
treated  according  to  directions  given  in  the  last  recipe.  Pass 
sliced  lemon  with  it. 

CREAMED  CLAM  BISQUE. 

Chop  twenty-five  clams  fine  and  cook  for  half  an  hour  in 
their  own  liquor  and  a  cupful  of  boiling  water  in  which  an  onion 
has  been  cooked  and  then  strained  out.  Have,  in  another  sauce- 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  41 

pan,  a  cupful  of  milk  and  the  same  of  cream,  with  a  bit  of  soda  no 
larger  than  a  pea.  When  it  boils,  stir  in  two  large  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  butter,  cooked  to  a  white  roux  with  one  of  flour.  Cook 
three  minutes,  take  from  the  fire  and  beat  in,  until  you  have  a 
creamy  mixture,  the  yolks  of  three  well-whipped  eggs.  Set  this 
mixture  in  a  pot  of  boiling  water,  and  stir  steadily  for  two  min- 
utes, then  pour  into  the  tureen.  Season  the  chopped  clams  with 
paprica,  or  cayenne,  salt,  and  minced  parsley,  and  turn,  smoking 
hot,  upon  the  custard  in  the  tureen.  Serve  at  once  before  it 
can  curdle. 

MARTHA  WASHINGTON  CRAB  SOUP. 

Two  cupfuls  of  "  picked-out ' '  crab  meat.  Two  quarts  of  boil- 
ing water  in  which  one  pound  of  corned  pork  has  been  boiled 
one  hour.  Yolks  of  two  eggs,  well  beaten.  Two  cupfuls  of 
milk — half  cream  if  you  can  get  it.  Salt  and  cayenne. 

Let  the  stock  made  from  the  pork  get  perfectly  cold  ;  skim  off 
the  fat  and  re-heat  the  liquor ;  add  the  crab  meat  and  cook  half 
an  hour.  Heat  the  milk  in  a  separate  sauce-pan  ;  take  from  the 
fire  and  pour  gradually  upon  the  beaten  yolks.  Put  this  into  a 
bowl  and  stir  in  the  minced  crab  with  the  liquor  in  which  it 
was  cooked.  Season  to  taste.  Set  in  boiling  water  for  five  min- 
utes before  serving. 

Tradition  has  it  that  this  is  the  identical  recipe  used  by  Mar- 
tha Washington  when  at  her  tide-water  home,  The  White  House, 
in  New  Kent  County,  Va.  The  soup  made  by  it  fifty  years 
later  is  referred  to  in  the  following  note  from  ex-President  Tyler 
to  a  friend  with  whom  he  had  dined  the  preceding  day. 

"  VILLA  MARGARET,  TUESDAY. 

"My  DEAR  SIR  : — Will  it  give  Mrs.  Cary  too  much  trouble 
to  furnish  me  with  a  recipe  for  making  the  delicious  crab-soup 
she  had  served  up  for  dinner  yesterday?  If  not,  you  would 
much  oblige  me  by  furnishing  it  to  the  servant  for  me. 

"Truly  yours, 

"J.  TYLER." 


42  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

F.F.T,  SOUP. 

Fresh-water  eels  are  especially  good  for  this  purpose. 

Four  pounds  of  eels  ;  three  quarts  of  water  ;  one  chopped 
onion  ;  minced  parsley  ;  a  blade  of  mace ;  pepper,  salt  and 
lemon-juice ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter,  rolled  in  flour ;  drip- 
ping. Clean  the  eels,  removing  all  the  fat,  and  cut  into  short 
pieces.  Fry  a  chopped  onion  brown  in  plenty  of  dripping ; 
wipe  the  eels  dry  and  fry  them  in  the  same.  Put  into  a  pot  with 
the  onion  and  mace,  cover  with  three  quarts  of  cold  water,  and 
stew  slowly  two  hours.  Then  season  ;  stir  in  the  floured  butter, 
simmer  three  minutes,  add  the  lemon-juice,  and  pour  out. 

CLAM  CHOWDER,    (No.  J.) 

One-half  pound  of  fat  salt  pork ;  seventy-five  clams ;  one 
onion,  parboiled  and  minced  ;  one  tablespoonful  of  parsley ; 
twelve  Boston  crackers,  split  and  soaked  half  an  hour  in  a  cup  of 
milk,  slightly  warmed  ;  cold  water,  pepper  and  salt.  Chop  the 
pork  and  sprinkle  a  layer  in  the  bottom  of  a  pot.  Cover  this 
with  the  clams,  also  chopped,  season,  scatter  on  it  minced  on- 
ion, and  lay  in  a  coating  of  the  split,  soaked  crackers.  Proceed 
in  this  order  until  the  materials  are  used  up ;  cover  with  cold 
water  and  bring  to  a  slow  simmer.  Cook  gently  forty* five  min- 
utes after  the  bubble  begins.  Strain  the  chowder,  but  do  not 
shake  or  press  it.  Put  the  clams  and  crackers  into  a  hot  tureen, 
the  liquor  back  in  the  pot,  stir  in  a  generous  tablespoonful  of 
fine  crumbs,  and,  if  you  have  it,  half  a  cupful  of  tomato-juice. 
Boil  up  once  and  pour  over  the  chowder. 

CLAM  CHOWDER.     (No.  2.) 

Fifty  ("long")  clams,  chopped;  eight  potatoes,  peeled, 
sliced,  and  parboiled  ;  one  medium-sized  onion,  sliced ;  two 
quarts  of  fresh  tomatoes  or  a  one-quart  can ;  six  pilot-biscuits, 
soaked  in  milk  ;  half  a  pound  of  fat  salt  pork,  minced  ;  twelve 
whole  cloves  and  the  same  of  pepper-corns,  tied  in  a  lace  or  mus- 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  43 

lin  bag ;  salt  and  paprica  or  cayenne  to  taste ;  two  quarts  of  cold 
water.     A  generous  teaspoonful  of  butter  cut  up  in  flour. 

Fry  the  pork  in  your  soup-pot,  and  when  it  has  made  enough 
fat,  put  in  the  sliced  onion,  and  cook  to  a  light  brown.  Pour  in 
the  water  upon  this,  add  all  the  other  ingredients  except  the 
chopped  clams  and  the  soaked  biscuits,  and  cook,  closely  cov- 
ered and  steadily  for  three  hours  before  clams  and  biscuits  are 
put  into  the  pot.  Cook  half  an  hour  longer  after  the  boil  re- 
commences ;  stir  in  the  floured  butter,  boil  up  well  and  serve. 
Pass  sliced  lemon  and  crackers  with  it.  It  is  extremely  nice  and 
always  popular. 

CLAM  AND  OYSTER  CHOWDER, 

A  Maryland  Tidewater  Recipe. 

Thirty  clams.  The  hard  part  is  thrown  away  and  the  soft 
part  chopped.  Two  large  onions,  minced ;  eight  potatoes 
sliced  and  parboiled;  one  quart  of  tomatoes,  peeled  and  cut 
small ;  thirty  fine  oysters  (drained),  served  whole.  Season  with 
salt,  cayenne,  and  Worcestershire  or  Harvey's  sauce.  One  pint 
of  cold  water  ;  half  a  pound  of  chopped  salt  pork ;  butter. 

Fry  the  pork  in  the  soup-pot ;  add  everything  else  except  the 
oysters,  and  cook,  covered,  for  three  hours.  Stir  in  then  a  table- 
spoonful  of  butter  rolled  in  browned  flour,  cook  one  minute,  drop 
in  the  oysters,  simmer  for  ten  minutes  and  serve. 

FISH  CHOWDER.    (No.  J.) 

Two  pounds  firm  fish,  cod,  halibut,  or  haddock ;  four  pota- 
toes, peeled,  sliced,  and  parboiled  ;  one  large  onion  ;  one  quart  of 
hot  water  ;  one-half  pound  of  fat  salt  pork,  chopped  ;  two  cupfuls 
of  milk  and  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter ;  six  Boston  crackers, 
or  "  water  thin  "  biscuits.  Pepper,  salt,  and  parsley. 

Put  the  chopped  pork  into  the  soup-kettle  and  fry  crisp.  Add 
the  onion  and  color  lightly.  Lay  in  this  fat  the  fish,  cut  into 
inch-dice,  the  sliced  parboiled  potatoes  and  bits  of  the  fried 


44  THE   NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

pork  and  onion  in  layers ;  season  as  you  go.     Cover  with  boil- 
ing water  and  cook  half  an  hour. 

Heat  the  milk  separately ;  butter  the  crackers  well  and  break 
them  into  the  milk.  When  they  are  soft,  cover  the  bottom  of  a 
deep  platter  with  them,  pepper  and  salt  them,  put  the  chowder 
upon  them  and  pour  the  rest  of  the  milk  on  top. 

FISH  CHOWDER.    (No.  2.) 

Use  the  same  ingredients  as  above  with  the  addition  of  a  pint 
of  sliced  tomatoes,  laid  upon  the  strata  of  fish,  etc. 

Instead  of  breaking  the  crackers  up  in  the  milk,  heat  the 
butter  and  milk  together,  soak  the  crackers  thoroughly  in  it, 
and  when  the  chowder  is  dished,  lift  them  carefully  and  arrange 
them  like  a  crust  upon  the  pile.  In  taking  up  the  chowder,  re- 
serve half  a  cupful  of  gravy  ;  stir  into  it  a  tablespoonful  of  butter 
rolled  in  flour,  add  what  milk  you  have  left,  heat  for  one  minute 
and  pour,  spoonful  by  spoonful,  over  the  crackers. 

A  NEW  JERSEY  CHOWDER* 

Six  mealy  potatoes,  parboiled  and  sliced  ;  one-half  pound  of 
sweet  firm  salt  pork,  cut  into  dice  ;  one  good-sized  onion,  sliced; 
two  cupfuls  of  milk — the  richer  the  better  ;  two  cupfuls  of  boil- 
ing water;  one  heaping  tablespoonful  of  butter  rolled  in  one 
of  flour.  Pepper  and  celery -salt  to  taste.  Chopped  parsley. 

Fry  the  pork  and  onion  together  in  a  pan.  Arrange  potatoes, 
fried  pork,  and  onion  in  neat  layers,  and  sprinkle  with  parsley, 
seasoning  all  with  pepper  and  salt.  Upon  the  top  pour  the  hot 
fat  from  the  frying-pan  ;  cover  with  boiling  water  and  cook 
gently  half  an  hour.  Take  out  the  potatoes  with  a  skimmer  and 
lay  in  a  vegetable  dish.  Have  ready  the  milk  heated  to  boiling 
and  thickened  with  the  floured  butter  ;  add  to  the  liquor  in  the 
pot,  boil  one  minute  and  pour  over  the  potatoes. 

A  savory  and  an  economical  dish. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  45 

FAMILIAR  TALK* 

THE  DIGNITY  OF   ECONOMY. 

Byron,  coarse  in  thought,  word,  and  deed,  in  spite  of  gentle 
blood  and  genius,  called  miserliness  "  the  amiable  vice  of  gen- 
tlemen." 

Like  some  other  sayings  intended  to  be  severely  sarcastic,  it 
sets  us  to  searching  for  the  grain  of  serious  truth  buried  in  the 
bushel  of  chaff.  Economy  at  its  extreme  is  an  honester  virtue 
than  the  extreme  of  extravagance,  and  more  humane.  It  would 
be  a  curious  study  to  trace  the  crooked,  unlikely  ways  by  which 
the  eternal  principle  enunciated  by  Him  whose  were,  and  are,  all 
things  that  were  ever  made — "  Gather  up  the  fragments,  that 
nothing  be  wasted" — has  been  reversed  in  general  belief  and 
practice.  In  all  the  universe  of  God  not  one  atom  is  squan- 
dered. The  decay  of  to-day  feeds  the  growth  of  to-morrow  ;  the 
many  littles  are  wrought,  each  in  its  way,  time,  and  place,  into 
the  mighty  whole. 

Coming  down  to  human  enterprises  where  public  interests  are 
involved,  we  commend  the  wise  economy  that  looks  narrowly 
after  minute  expenditures.  No  contempt  mingles  with  the  admi- 
ration with  which  we  read  that  the  sweepings  of  the  mint  are 
treasured  and  appraised,  the  clothing  and  shoes  of  operatives 
dusted  before  they  leave  the  rooms  in  which  the  coin  is  filed  and 
burnished." 

"  The  management  of  the  concern  is  faultless,"  said  one  of  a 
corporation  that  counts  its  gains  by  the  million.  "  Not  a  post- 
age stamp  is  wasted." 

It  is  only  when  we  descend  to  individual  action  that  lavish- 
ness  becomes  fine  and  frugality  mean.  He  who  manipulates 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars  may  be  scrupulous  in  the  matter 
of  wasted  pennies.  He  who  counts  his  earnings  by  units,  rises 
in  the  estimation  of  his  fellows  when  he  trumpets  the  boast  that 
"  he  may  be  poor,  but  he  won't  be  mean  !  " 


46  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

I  heard,  the  other  day,  a  young  fellow  who  has  his  fortune  to 
make,  read  aloud  to  a  circle  an  anecdote  of  the  Dowager-Em- 
press of  Germany,  when  she  was  Crown  Princess,  illustrative,  said 
the  paper  that  gave  it,  of  hereditary  parsimony,  her  mother,  the 
Queen  of  England,  being  cited  as  "  the  stingiest  old  lady  in  her 
realm."  The  story  set  forth  that  the  princess,  soon  after  she 
took  possession  of  her  own  palace,  noted,  one  day,  that  a  roast 
chicken  which  had  been  taken  off  the  royal  table  untouched  had 
not  reappeared  at  any  subsequent  meal,  and  inquired  what  had 
become  of  it.  It  was  represented  to  her  that  all  the  whole  "  left- 
overs "  were  among  the  perquisites  of  the  butler-in-chief. 

"  By  whose  order?  "  demanded  the  royal  housewife. 

"  By  the  custom  of  immemorial  age,"  was  the  reply. 

"  It  should  be  discontinued,"  said  the  princess.  "  If  his  sal- 
ary is  insufficient,  let  him  report  the  fact.  He  has  no  right  to 
meddle  with  what  does  not  belong  to  him." 

The  outcry  from  the  audience  was  unanimous,  and  renewed 
when  an  elderly  woman  asked,  quietly,  "  What  is  a  perquisite?  " 

Webster,  when  consulted,  gave:  "An  allowance  paid  in 
money  or  things  beyond  the  ordinary  salary  or  fixed  wages,  for 
services  rendered." 

"Then,"  proceeded  the  protestant,  "unless  the  princess  to 
whom  the  fowl  belonged  by  right  of  purchase  agreed  to  allow 
him  the  left-over,  it  was  not  a  perquisite.  What  was  it,  then  ? 
Her  property,  or  his  ?  If  he  did  not  buy  it,  and  it  was  not 
given  to  him — didn't  he  steal  \\.">  " 

The  plain  talk  brought  out  the  sentiment  of  the  party.  It 
was  me^n,  it  was  niggardly,  it  was  vulgar  in  a  woman  of  wealth 
and  rank  to  stoop  to  such  a  petty  economy  !  It  argued  a  small 
soul  and  a  grasping  disposition. 

My  old  friend  spoke  but  twice,  in  answer,  and  with  no  haste 
of  self-vindication. 

Once  she  said,  "It  is  not  the  value,  but  the/#<r/  of  the  saving 
that  makes  it  right  and  a  duty." 

And  again,  "  Economy  and  elegance  are  compatible.  Wan- 
ton waste  is  always  vulgar. ' ' 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  47 

One  at  least,  of  those  who  listened,  will  not  forget  the  brace 
of  apothegms.  There  was  arrant  vulgarity  in  Byron's  and  Shel- 
ley's manufacture  of  toy-skiffs  out  of  five-pound  notes,  and  pre- 
tension as  tawdry  in  the  practice  imputed  to  an  American  de- 
faulter, by  a  witness  in  court,  who  testified  that  he  was  "a 
free-handed  gentleman,  and  would  give  a  five-dollar  tip  to  a 
restaurant-waiter  where  most  men  would  give  a  quarter."  The 
most  ignoble  trait  attributed  to  a  distinguished  divine,  now  de- 
ceased, was  that  he  never  knew  the  worth  of  money — or  how  to 
take  care  of  it — yet  the  admirers  who  cite  the  amiable  peculi- 
arity seem  never  to  suspect  that  the  admission  belittles  their 
idol. 

Another  clergyman,  almost  as  eminent  in  his  generation,  on 
one  occasion  digressed  from  the  main  matter  of  a  lecture  to 
amuse  an  audience  by  ridicule  of  poor  Richard's  "A  penny 
saved  is  a  penny  got,"  and  the  alliterative  proverb,  "Wilful 
waste  makes  woful  want."  There  were  people  present  whose 
laughter  would  have  been  more  whole-hearted  had  he  not  been 
in  debt  to  them  for  dollars  they  were  not  likely  ever  to  get  or 
save;  and  others  who  could  not  smile  for  very  contempt  of  a 
man  who  borrowed  money  with  a  laugh  to  squander  with  both 
hands  upon  pet  luxuries  and  pet  charities  (?). 

Judicious  economy  is — many  besides  my  elderly  friend  being 
witnesses — altogether  compatible  with  elegance.  It  is  significant 
that  those  who  have  for  years  had  wealth  and  the  refinements  of 
daily  living  which  wealth  commands,  are  more  apt  to  spend 
money  sensibly,  and  to  take  care  of  their  costly  possessions,  than 
the  nouveaux  riches. 

"She  cannot  see  a  thing  without  wanting  to  buy  it,"  said  a 
shrewd  woman  of  a  fellow-traveller  in  the  Old  World.  "  I  know 
nothing  of  her  antecedents,  but  I  venture  the  assertion  that  she 
has  not  always  been  used  to  having  plenty  of  money  to  spend." 

The  inference  was  severe, -but  just,  and  of  wide  application. 
The  solution  of  the  terrible  problem  of  broken  china,  and  wasted 
provisions  in  pantry  and  kitchen,  lies,  for  the  most  part,  just 
here.  She  who  has  eaten  from  wooden  platters  and  drunk  from 


48  THE    NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

stone  mugs  until  she  crossed  the  sea  to  draw  high  wages  for 
underdone  labor,  will  handle  old  Indian  china  and  cut-glass  as 
she  used  platter  and  mug,  and,  poor  fool  !  so  far  imitates  our 
shoddy  dame,  as  to  imagine  that  she  proves  her  "quality" 
by  such  brutish  indifference  to  the  worth  of  what  she  abuses. 

Write  it  down,  young  housewife,  as  an  adage  that  will  endure 
any  degree  of  strain,  that  people  who  have  been  accustomed  to 
have  and  use  the  best  of  everything,  take  the  best  care  of  the 
same.  Walter  Raleigh  had  spent  a  month's  income  upon  the 
first  handsome  cloak  he  ever  owned,  yet  scrupled  not  to  throw 
it  down  to  bridge  the  puddle  for  the  feet  of  his  dainty  queen.  A 
member  of  the  ancien  regime  who  had  had  fine  cloaks  enough  to 
know  how  to  rate  them  aright,  would  have  looked  about  for  a 
board  or  a  big  stone,  and  proved  his  breeding  by  his  prudence. 

"  Maggie  !  "  exclaimed  a  housekeeper,  rescuing  six  large  po- 
tatoes from  the  parings  the  cook  was  about  to  cast  into  the  swill- 
pail — "  you  surely  are  not  going  to  throw  these  away  ?  " 

"An'  why  not,  mum?  There's  four  barrels  full  of  'em  in 
the  cellar!  " 

No  need  of  further  proof  that  Maggie  had  not  been  bred  to 
the  sight  of  potatoes  by  the  barrelful.  For  like  reason,  she 
thinks  it  "  mane  to  save  drippin'  when  there's  lashin's  o'  but- 
ter in  the  pantry,"  and  burns  the  bread-crusts  she  "  hasn't  the 
face  to  offer"  to  the  beggar  at  your  gate.  The  "  dhrop  o' 
crame  "  left  in  the  jug  after  your  breakfast,  the  scarcely  cut 
butter-ball  from  the  "individual"  plate;  the  spoonful  of  po- 
tato in  one  dish,  the  cupful  of  tomato  in  another,  and  all  the 
gravy  and  soup  left  from  the  family  and  kitchen  tables,  go  into 
what  should  figure  as  the  vulgar  housewife's  coat-of-arms — the 
garbage-pail. 

If  it  were  only  such  as  Maggie  and  her  compeers  who  con- 
found wastefulness  and  generosity,  thrift  and  meanness,  the 
pity  and  the  shame  would  be  so  much  the  less  that  we  might 
hope  to  lift  the  stigma  of  undignified  prodigality  from  American 
households.  Some  mistresses  are  weak  enough  to  stand  in  awe 
of  the  tribe  of  locusts  who  ravage  the  home-tract.  A  woman 


THE  NATIONAL   COO  AT  BOOK  49 

who  would  seem,  judging  from  my  stand -point,  to  have  sense 
enough  to  make  her  own  ground,  and  strength  enough  to  hold  it, 
confided  to  me  that  she  dared  not  enforce  economy  in  her 
kitchen  lest  she  should  lose  the  respect  of  her  servants. 

"That  class  has  an  overweening  reverence  for  riches,"  she 
represented.  "  Were  I  to  look  after  candle-ends  and  soup- 
stock,  they  would  set  me  down  as  poverty-stricken,  and  esteem 
my  authority  accordingly.  They  have  their  own  code  of  laws, 
and  enforce  it.  For  instance,  we  had  an  unusually  large  turkey 
for  dinner,  the  other  day.  Our  family  is  small,  and  when  it  was 
carried  out  after  its  second  appearance  upon  our  table,  so  much 
of  the  fowl  remained  that  I  meditated  a  dish  of  scalloped  turkey 
for  lunch  the  next  day.  It  was  Friday,  and  I  knew  none  would 
be  eaten  in  the  kitchen.  Next  morning,  I  asked  for  the  rem- 
nant, and  was  told  that  it  had  been  thrown  away.  Expostulat- 
ing upon  the  extravagance,  I  was  met  with,  '  It's  the  rule  in  the 
best  families,  mem,  that  a  dish  isn't  to  be  called  for  after  the 
second  sending  in  to  the  family's  table.'  The  price  of  vigi- 
lance on  the  part  of  our  native  housewives  is  eternal  warfare  and 
incessant  change.  Does  it  pay  ?  " 

I  replied  with  a  bit  of  serpent-like  wisdom  learned  of  and  for 
myself,  years  ago,  that  may  strengthen  other  weak  sisters,  and  be 
a  stepping-stone  to  the  right  comprehension  of  the  true  dignity 
of  economy.  Maggie  is  not  so  simple  as  you  might  think.  She 
has  a  reserve  of  shrewdness  which  leads  her  to  respect  rich  peo- 
ple who  respect  riches.  Once  give  her  to  understand  that  you 
have  money  and  to  spare — but  that  you  do  not  mean  to  spare 
it ;  that  you  value  it  as  highly  as  she  can,  therefore  are  deter- 
mined to  save  it  when  you  can.  She  may  despise  the  poor — I 
never  saw  one  of  her  kind  who  did  not — but  she  holds  in  honor 
her  who  has,  but  withholds  that  she  may  have  the  more. 

Catch  her  with  this  guile,  if  you  will,  but  put  your  better- 
taught,  better-purposed  self  to  school  in  the  practical  lore  out- 
lined by  our  elderly  mentor : 

"  Economy  and  elegance  are  compatible.  Wanton  waste  is 
always  vulgar ."  M.  H. 


FISH, 

BROILED  SHAD. 

THIS  is  the  simplest,  and  is  considered  by  some  epicures  to  be 
the  best,  way  of  preparing  a  justly  popular  fish. 

Clean  and  wash  the  shad,  doing  the  last  quickly,  over  a  pan 
of  cold  water,  not  in  it.  Even  a  minutes'  bath  in  the  liquid  in- 
jures the  exquisite  flavor  of  the  fish.  Split  it  down  the  back, 
wipe  perfectly  dry  and  rub  all  over,  inside  and  out,  with  oil  or 
butter  to  keep  it  from  sticking  to  the  gridiron  bars.  Broil  upon 
a  double  wire  broiler  over  clear  coals,  turn  it  every  other  min- 
ute until  both  sides  are  lightly  and  evenly  browned ;  open  the 
broiler  cautiously,  not  to  tear  the  fish,  and  transfer  the  latter  to 
a  hot  dish.  Rub  all  over  with  a  mixture  of  butter,  salt,  pepper, 
and  lemon-juice  :  garnish  with  parsley,  cresses,  or  sliced  lemon, 
and  serve. 

A  pretty  garnish  for  shad  is  made  by  using  the  half  of  a 
lemon  from  which  the  pulp  has  been  taken,  leaving  an  empty 
shell.  Fill  this  with  a  sauce  of  butter  whipped  to  a  cream  with 
lemon-juice  and  colored  by  beating  into  the  mixture  enough 
finely  minced  parsley  to  make  it  green.  Serve  one  of  these 
cups  of  sauce  with  each  portion  of  fish,  and  let  the  eater  use  it 
for  himself. 

BLUEFISH,  FRESH  MACKEREL,  AND  FLOUNDERS, 
are  cooked  the  same  way  as  shad. 

BAKED  SHAD  AU  COURT   BOUILLON. 

Bake  a  plump  shad  in  a  "  covered  roaster  "  for  half  an  hour 
in  a  steady  oven,  having  just  water  enough  under  the  grating  to 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  5  I 

prevent  burning.  Lift  the  cover  and  rub  the  fish  with  a  mixture 
of  butter  and  lemon-juice,  pepper  and  salt ;  cover  again  and  cook 
until  it  is  done,  allowing  from  the  time  it  goes  into  the  oven  fif- 
teen minutes  per  pound. 

Now  lay  the  fish  upon  a  hot  dish  and  pour  over  it  a  sauce 
made  by  thickening  a  cupful  of  good  veal  stock  with  a  brown 
roux,  adding  this  by  degrees  to  the  beaten  yolks  of  two  eggs 
with  a  dash  of  lemon-juice.  Set  the  dish  containing  the  sauce 
in  boiling  water  for  three  minutes,  but  it  must  not  cook.  As 
soon  as  it  is  poured  over  the  fish,  serve. 

BOILED  SHAD  WITH  EGG  SAUCE. 

In  Lower  Virginia,  where  shad  are  so  abundant  for  nearly 
three  months  of  the  year  as  to  be  almost  "a  drug  in  the  mar- 
ket," the  larger  fish  are  often  boiled  and,  if  rightly  seasoned,  are 
not  insipid. 

Sew  the  fish  up  in  a  piece  of  thin  muslin,  or  mosquito-netting, 
fitted  to  the  shape,  and  cook  ten  minutes  to  the  pound  in  boiling 
water  to  which  a  tablespoonful  of  vinegar  has  been  added  for 
every  two  quarts.  When  done,  clip  the  threads,  unwrap  the 
shad  carefully  and  dish,  pouring  a  gpod  egg  sauce  over  it,  and 
sending  in  more  in  a  gravy-boat. 

To  make  the  sauce,  whip  into  a  cupful  of  hot  drawn-butter, 
one  raw  egg,  and  one  hard-boiled  and  chopped  very  fine.  Add 
a  little  minced  parsley  and  a  teaspoonful  of  capers,  set  in  boiling 
water  for  five  minutes,  stirring  often,  and  it  is  ready  for  use. 

BOILED  SHAD  AU  COURT  BOUILLON. 

The  foreign  touch  is  given  to  this  and  other  large  fish  fit  for 
boiling  by  cooking  them  in  stock  made  thus : 

Chop  coarsely  an  onion,  a  carrot,  and  a  stalk  of  celery,  and  fry 
them  in  two  tablespoonfuls  of  nice  beef-dripping  or  in  butter. 
Pour  over  them  in  the  pot  two  quarts  of  boiling  water,  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  vinegar  or  white  wine,  season  with  a  blade  of 
mace,  four  or  five  whole  peppercorns,  two  cloves,  a  bay  leaf  (if 


52  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

you  can  get  it),  and  salt.     Boil  all  together  for  half  an  hour,  hard, 
strain,  and  cook  the  fish  in  the  hot  liquid. 

Serve  with  butter,  or  egg  sauce.  Garnish  with  slices  of  hard- 
boiled  eggs. 

FRIED  SHAD. 

Clean,  wash,  and  wipe  the  fish,  split  down  the  back,  and  cut 
each  side  crosswise  into  four  pieces,  about  as  wide  as  your  four 
fingers  laid  closely  together.  Sprinkle  with  salt  and  pepper  and 
dip  in  beaten  egg,  then  in  salted  cracker-dust,  and  leave  in  a 
cold  place  for  an  hour  that  the  coating  may  stiffen.  Fry  in 
plenty  of  hot  fat  (clarified  dripping  will  do)  to  a  yellow-brown  ; 
shake  the  fat  from  each  piece  and  serve  upon  a  hot  folded  nap- 
kin laid  on  a  hot  platter.  Garnish  with  cresses  or  lemon  slices. 

PLANKED  SHAD. 

A  Potomac  Delicacy. 

At  the  river  picnics  that  gave  this  dish  renown,  it  used  to  be 
cooked  upon  a  plank  set  up  at  a  sharp  slant  before  a  blazing  wood- 
fire.  The  fish  was  pinned  fast  to  the  board  with  skewers,  or 
even  tin-tacks,  and  basted  plentifully  while  cooking.  Those 
who  fancy  that  the  flavor  of  shad  prepared  for  eating  in  this 
primitive  fashion  can  be  gained  in  no  other  way,  may  be  glad  to 
know  that  a  hard,  well-seasoned  hickory  or  oaken  board,  that 
will  fit  into  a  range-oven,  will  gratify  their  caprice. 

Heat  the  plank  very  hot,  turning  it  several  times ;  skewer  the 
fish,  salted  and  peppered  and  buttered,  to  the  board,  skin  down- 
ward, and  set  in  a  moderate  oven  for  half  an  hour,  basting  three 
times  with  butter,  at  intervals  of  ten  minutes.  Serve  upon  the 
plank,  twisting  a  napkin  about  the  edge  as  the  board  lies  upon  the 
platter,  or  binding  the  wood  with  a  wreath  of  parsley  or  cresses. 

SHAD  ROES. 

As  soon  as  the  fish  is  cleaned,  wash  the  roes,  pur  into  a  sauce- 
pan with  a  slice  of  onion  and  a  teaspoonful  of  minced  parsley, 
cover  them  with  boiling  water  slightly  salted,  and  cook  them  for 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  53 

fifteen  minutes.  Let  them  get  perfectly  cold  in  the  liquor,  take 
them  out,  wipe  dry,  roll  in  beaten  egg  and  cracker-dust,  and 
fry  in  butter  to  a  light  brown.  Remove  to  a  hot  dish,  strain 
the  liquor  in  which  they  were  boiled  into  the  frying-pan,  stir  in 
a  teaspoonful  of  Worcestershire  sauce,  and  the  same  of  good  cat- 
sup and  heat  to  a  boil.  Thicken  with  a  brown  roux,  add  a 
small  wineglassful  of  sherry,  and  pour  over  the  roes. 

CROQUETTES  OF  SHAD  ROE. 

Scald  the  roes  in  boiling  salted  water  in  which  you  have  put  a 
tablespoonful  of  vinegar.  Cook  them  in  this  for  fifteen  minutes 
and  drop  them  into  ice-cold  water  to  stiffen  and  blanch.  Break 
them  apart  with  the  back  of  a  silver  spoon,  taking  care  not  to 
crush  them.  They  should  look  like  so  many  tiny  grains  when 
you  have  done. 

Have  ready  a  cupful  of  hot  milk  thickened  with  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  white  roux,  and  seasoned  with  salt  and  pepper. 
Cook  for  three  minutes,  add  the  roes,  and  cook  two  minutes 
after  the  boil  begins.  Take  from  the  range  and  add  gradually 
to  two  well-beaten  eggs  in  a  bowl  with  seasoning  to  taste.  A 
dash  of  lemon-juice  and  a  little  anchovy  paste  will  give  piquancy. 
Set  in  a  pan  of  boiling  water  over  the  fire  and  stir  three  or  four 
minutes  longer.  Pour  out  upon  a  broad  dish  and  set  away  until 
stiff  and  cold,  when  mould  into  croquettes  ;  roll  in  egg  and 
cracker-dust  and  let  them  stand  in  a  cold  place  for  at  least  one 
hour  before  frying  in  deep  cottolene. 

They  make  an  appetizing  luncheon  dish. 

BROILED  SHAD  ROES. 

Drop  the  roes  into  boiling  salted  water,  cook  gently  for  ten 
minutes  and  transfer  them  to  ice-water  for  ten  minutes  more  to 
blanch  and  make  them  firm.  Wipe  and  set  them  on  the  ice 
until  cold  and  stiff.  Rub  all  over  with  oil  and  lemon-juice,  or 
vinegar,  and  broil  over  clear  coals.  When  dished,  cover  with  a 
sauce  made  of  butter  whipped  light  with  lemon-juice  and  minced 
parsley. 


54  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


SCALLOPED  SHAD  ROES, 

Roes  of  two  shad  ;  one  cupful  of  drawn  butter  and  yolks  of  three 
hard-boiled  eggs  ;  one  teaspoonful  of  anchovy  paste  or  essence ; 
one  teaspoonful  of  parsley  ;  juice  of  half  a  lemon  ;  one  cupful  of 
bread-crumbs  ;  salt  and  cayenne  pepper  to  taste.  Boil  the  roes 
in  salted  water ;  lay  in  cold  five  minutes,  then  wipe  dry.  Break 
them  up  with  the  back  of  a  silver  spoon  into  a  granulated  heap. 
Pound  the  hard-boiled  eggs  to  a  powder.  Beat  this  into  the 
drawn  butter,  then  the  parsley  and  other  seasoning ;  lastly,  mix 
in  the  roes.  Strew  the  bottom  of  a  buttered  dish  with  bread- 
crumbs, put  in  the  mixture,  spread  evenly,  and  cover  with  very 
fine  crumbs.  Stick  bits  of  butter  thickly  over  the  top,  cover 
and  bake  in  a  quick  oven  until  bubbling  hot.  Brown,  uncov- 
ered, on  the  upper  grating  of  the  oven. 

STUFFED  SHAD. 

Clean,  wash  and  dry,  stuff  and  sew  up  as  you  would  a  fowl. 
Dredge  with  salt,  pepper,  and  flour ;  lay  four  or  five  very  thin 
slices  of  salt  pork  in  the  baking-pan  (a  "covered  roaster"  if 
you  have  it),  place  the  fish  upon  them,  cover  with  more  sliced 
pork  (you  cannot  get  it  too  thin)  pour  in  half  a  cupful  of  boiling 
water,  and  bake  twelve  minutes  to  the  pound. 

Serve  with  browned  butter  sauce,  seasoned  with  lemon-juice 
and  a  glass  of  claret. 

STUFFING  FOR  THE  FISH. 

Rub  a  good  tablespoonful  of  butter  into  a  cupful  of  cracker- 
crumbs  ;  wet  with  a  teaspoonful  of  onion-juice  ;  mince  a  dozen 
capers  and  a  little  parsley,  and  mix  in  well  with  salt  and  pepper  ; 

Or— 

Put  a  good  spoonful  of  dripping — pork,  beef,  or  veal — into  a  fry- 
ing-pan and  cook  in  it,  when  hot,  half  an  onion,  minced  fine. 
Wet  up  a  cupful  of  dry,  fine  bread-crumbs  with  hot  milk,  and 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  55 

stir,  next,  into  the  frying-pan.  Season  with  pepper,  salt,  and 
lemon-juice,  beat  to  a  mush ;  take  from  the  fire  and  whip  in  the 
yolk  of  a  raw  egg. 

BOILED    BASS. 

Put  enough  water  in  the  pot  for  the  fish  to  swim  in  easily. 
Add  half  a  cupful  of  vinegar,  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  an  onion,  a 
dozen  black  peppers,  and  a  blade  of  mace.  Sew  up  the  fish  in  a 
piece  of  clean  mosquito  netting,  fitted  to  its  shape.  Heat  slowly 
for  the  first  half  hour,  then  boil  twelve  minutes  to  the  pound, 
quite  fast.  Unwrap,  and  pour  over  it  a  cup  of  drawn  butter, 
based  upon  the  liquor  in  which  the  fish  was  boiled,  with  the 
juice  of  half  a  lemon  stirred  into  it.  Garnish  with  sliced  lemon. 

GRILLED  BASS. 

Ask  your  fishmonger  to  take  out  the  backbone  without  splitting 
the  fish  apart.  Season  with  salt  and  pepper,  roll  in  egg  and 
pounded  cracker,  and  fry  whole  in  hot  fat.  Salad  oil  is  best  for 
this  purpose,  if  you  would  have  the  fish  very  nice. 

Garnish  with  sliced  lemon. 

BLUEFISH  FILLETS. 

Have  the  backbone  taken  out,  and  cut  the  fish  cross-wise  into 
pieces  about  two  inches  in  width.  Leave  them  in  a  mixture  of 
olive  oil  and  lemon-juice  for  half  an  hour  ;  then  dip  in  beaten 
egg  and  coat  thickly  with  pounded  crackers  salted  and  peppered, 
and  set  them  in  a  refrigerator  for  an  hour  before  frying  them  in 
deep  fat. 

Garnish  with  parsley  and  serve  with  lemon  or  a  sauce  tartare, 
or  a  mayonnaise  dressing 

BAKED  HALIBUT. 

Lay  the  piece  of  fish  in  cold  salt  and  water  for  an  hour  to 
draw  out  the  fish-oil  flavor  so  unpleasant  to  most  palates.  Wipe 
dry,  score  the  skin  on  top,  and  put  into  your  baking-pan.  Pour  a 
cupful  of  boiling  water  over  it,  cover  and  bake  twelve  minutes  to 
the  pound,  basting  four  times,  and  generously,  with  melted  butter 


56  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

and  lemon-juice  into  which  you  have  squeezed  a  teaspoonful  of 
onion-juice. 

Transfer  the  fish,  when  done,  to  a  hot  dish,  cover  and  set  over 
boiling  water  while  you  stir  into  the  liquor  it  has  left  in  the  pan 
a  teaspoonful  of  catsup,  and  two  tablespoon fuls  of  brown  roux, 
adding  hot  water  should  it  be  too  thick,  finally,  a  glass  of  claret. 
Strain  a  few  spoonfuls  over  the  fish,  the  rest  into  a  gravy-boat. 

HALIBUT  STEAKS  (BOILED  AU  GRATIN). 

Lay  them  in  salt  and  water  for  an  hour ;  wipe  dry  and  rub 
all  over  with  oil  and  lemon-juice,  leaving  them,  when  anointed, 
in  a  cold  place  for  half  an  hour.  Then  put  into  a  covered  bak- 
ing-pan ;  pour  over  them  a  cupful  of  fish  stock  if  you  have  it,  or 
court  bouillon,  or  boiling  water  into  which  has  been  squeezed  a 
teaspoonful  of  onion-juice  and  then,  melted,  a  tablespoonful  of 
butter.  Cover  and  cook  twelve  minutes  to  the  pound.  At  the 
last,  sprinkle  thickly  with  fine,  dry  browned  crumbs,  and  let 
these  form  into  a  crust. 

Serve  with  sauce  tartare. 

HALIBUT  STEAKS  (BROILED). 

Lay  in  salt  and  water  for  an  hour,  wipe  dry,  rub  on  both  sides 
with  olive  oil  and  lemon-juice,  and  broil  over  clear  coals.  Trans- 
fer to  a  hot  dish,  baste  with  butter  and  lemon-juice,  plentifully, 
cover,  let  them  stand  in  an  open  oven  for  three  minutes  and 
serve. 

HALIBUT  STEAK  A  LA  JARDINIERE. 

Leave  in  salt  and  water  for  one  hour,  wipe  dry,  rub  melted 
butter  on  both  sides  of  the  steak  and  lay  upon  some  rings  of 
onion  in  your  covered  roaster.  About  the  steak  lay  a  parboiled 
carrot  cut  into  dice,  half  a  dozen  small  tomatoes,  peeled  but  whole ; 
a  green  pepper  sliced,  and  half  a  cupful  of  green  peas,  each  veg- 
etable in  its  own  place  and  separate  from  the  rest.  Add  just 
enough  hot  water  (salted)  to  keep  the  fish  from  scorching,  put  a 
tablespoonful  of  butter  on  top  and  bake  covered,  twelve  minutes 
to  the  pound,  basting  three  times. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  57 

Dish  upon  a  hot  platter,  the  vegetables  laid  in  heaps  about 
the  fish  ;  add  a  little  white  wine  to  the  liquor  left  in  the  pan 
with  a  teaspoonful  of  browned  flour  rolled  in  butter,  boil  up 
once  and  send  in  as  a  sauce. 

BOILED  SALMON. 

Sew  up  the  fish  in  a  piece  of  thin  muslin,  or  mosquito-netting, 
fitted  well  to  it,  and  boil  in  salted  boiling  water  to  which  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  vinegar  have  been  added.  Take  off  the  cloth 
carefully  when  the  fish  has  boiled  twelve  minutes  to  the  pound, 
and  lay  upon  a  hot  platter.  Pour  over  it  a  few  spoonfuls  of  egg 
sauce  into  which  has  been  stirred  a  tablespoonful  of  capers,  and 
serve  the  rest  in  a  gravy-boat. 

Garnish  with  nasturtiums,  or  parsley,  or  cresses. 

BOILED  SALMON  AU  COURT  BOUILLON. 

Put  a  great  spoonful  of  butter  into  a  frying-pan  and  when  it 
hisses,  add  a  minced  carrot,  an  onion  also  cut  small,  and  a  stalk 
of  celery  cut  into  inch  lengths.  Add  half  a  cupful  of  vinegar, 
four  whole  black  peppers,  four  cloves,  a  bay-leaf,  a  sprig  of  pars- 
ley, and  three  pints  of  boiling  water. 

Cook,  covered,  for  one  hour,  strain,  pour  the  liquor  into  a 
fish-kettle,  put  in  the  salmon  sewed  up  in  coarse  muslin,  and  boil 
twelve  minutes  to  the  pound. 

You  can  use  the  same  bouillon  three  times  if  it  has  not  boiled 
away  too  much  to  cover  the  fish.  Serve  the  salmon  with  a  Becha- 
mel Sauce  (See  Sauces),  and  garnish  with  nasturtium  flowers,  pars- 
ley, or  cress. 

SALMON  STEAKS. 

Cook  as  you  would  halibut  steaks,  but  they  need  not  be  laid 
in  salted  water  first,  being  more  delicate  in  flesh  and  flavor. 

A  PALATABLE  SALMON   RECHAUFFE  AL  NAPOLITANO. 

This  fish  is  at  once  so  delicious  and  so  expensive  that  a  wise 
housewife  is  careful  not  to  lose  so  much  as  an  inch  of  it.  A  good 


58  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

accompaniment  to  boiled  salmon  is  spaghetti,  or  some  other  form 
of  macaroni,  baked  with  cheese.  On  the  morrow,  pick  the 
bones  and  skin  from  the  remnants  of  the  fish,  and  flake  it  fine 
with  a  silver  fork.  Cut  the  cold  spaghetti  up  small  and  mix  with 
the  fish,  seasoning  to  taste.  Have  ready  in  a  sauce-pan  a  cupful 
of  white  sauce,  or  drawn  butter,  in  which  has  been  beaten  an 
egg.  Perhaps  you  may  have  another  "  left  over  "  in  the  shape 
of  the  egg  sauce  that  went  with  yesterday's  fish.  Heat  it  to 
scalding,  put  in  the  fish  and  macaroni,  toss  and  stir  with  a  sil- 
ver fork,  now  and  then,  to  prevent  lumping,  but  do  not  beat 
the  mixture  to  a  pulp  or  mush.  The  salmon  should  keep  its  in- 
dividuality. A  few  capers  in  the  sauce  will  give  piquancy  to  the 
rechauffe.  As  soon  as  it  is  smoking  hot,  dish. 

If  you  have  no  spaghetti  on  hand,  use  a  handful  (not  more)  of 
bread-crumbs.  Do  not  spoil  the  salmon  flavor  with  mashed 
potato. 

CANNED  SALMON  STEAK 

is  excellent,  treated  as  above.  Or,  you  may  broil  and  dress  it 
with  a  few  spoonfuls  of  mayonnaise,  or  butter  and  lemon-juice 
rubbed  together  with  minced  parsley. 

Or  you  may  steam  it  and  treat  as  you  would  boiled  salmon. 

Or,  still  again,  divide  into  cutlets  with  a  keen  knife,  roll  in 
egg  and  cracker-crumbs,  set  away  for  two  or  three  hours  to 
harden,  and  fry  in  deep  cottolene. 

SALMON  CROQUETTES. 

The  remains  of  yesterday's  fish  may  be  used  for  this,  or 
canned  salmon,  as  may  be  convenient. 

Flake  fine  with  a  silver  fork,  and  season  with  paprica,  or  cay- 
enne, salt,  and  a  tiny  pinch  of  mace.  Heat  a  cupful  of  white 
sauce  in  a  saucepan,  beat  into  it  a  raw  egg,  stir  in  the  picked 
salmon  and  a  handful  of  very  dry  crumbs.  When  heated  all 
through,  spread  upon  a  flat  dish  to  cool.  It  should  be  cold  and 
just  stiff  enough  to  handle  before  you  mould  your  Croquettes. 
Flour  your  hands  and  make  a  great  spoonful  of  the  paste  into  a 


THE   NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  59 

roll  two-and-a-half  inches  long  and  an  inch  in  diameter,  or  into 
a  small  cone.  Roll  this  upon  a  floured  dish  to  get  it  quite 
smooth,  dip  into  beaten  egg,  then  roll  in  fine  cracker-crumbs ;  lay 
upon  a  flat  dish,  lightly  floured,  not  near  enough  to  touch  one 
another,  and  set  in  a  cold  place  for  several  hours  before  you  fry 
them  in  deep  cottolene  brought  slowly  to  a  boil  before  they  go  in. 
Croquettes  made  according  to  this  rule  are  sure  to  be  good. 
Many  fail  with  them  because  unwilling  to  take  the  forethought 
to  prepare  them  early  enough  in  the  day  to  insure  firmness. 
Others  get  them  too  stiff.  A  hard  croquette  is  worse  than  a 
leathery  doughnut.  You  can  use  almost  any  kind  of  cold  fish  for 
this  purpose. 

SALMON  CHOPS. 

Prepare  a  paste  precisely  as  directed  for  croquettes,  and  when 
cold  and  stiff,  mould  into  the  form  of  mutton  chops.  Egg  and 
crumb  them,  set  in  the  refrigerator  for  two  hours  and  fry  as 
you  would  croquettes  or  doughnuts.  When  they  are  done, 
stick  a  bit  of  macaroni  in  the  small  end  to  simulate  the  chop- 
bone. 

Send  in  sauce  tartare  or  tomato  sauce  with  them.  Garnish 
with  sliced  lemon. 

Halibut,  blue-fish,  lobster,  etc. ,  may  be  treated  in  this  way. 

FLOUNDER  FILLETS. 

Have  the  backbone  taken  neatly  out  of  the  fish,  and  cut  each 
half  into  two  long  strips.  Trim  them  into  uniform  size  and  lay 
for  an  hour  in  salad  oil  and  lemon-juice,  or  vinegar,  setting  the 
dish  on  ice.  Roll  each  fillet  then  into  a  coil,  the  thin  end  out- 
ward, and  skewer  firmly  into  place  with  slivers  of  wood — tooth- 
picks will  do.  Dip  in  beaten  egg,  then  in  cracker-dust,  leave 
again  on  the  ice  for  an  hour,  and  fry  in  hot  cottolene.  (Bear  in 
mind  that  fat  for  frying  should  be  put  into  a  cold  pan,  and 
brought  slowly  to  the  boil.)  Shake  off  every  drop  of  grease,  pull 
out  the  skewers  carefully,  and  dish. 

Serve  with  tomato  sauce. 


60  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


FRIED  PERCH,   WEAK-FISH,   BUTTER-FISH,   AND   OTHER 

PAN-FISH. 

The  general  treatment  is  the  same  with  all.  They  can  be 
floured  and  fried,  but  are  invariably  nicer  and  more  comely 
when  rolkd  in  egg  and  fine  crumbs.  Clean,  wash,  and  dry  them 
inside  and  out;  rub  with  salted  and  peppered  flour,  then  dip  in 
egg  and  roll  in  cracker-dust,  or  very  dry  fine  crumbs.  Heat 
the  fat  gradually,  and  have  it  deep  enough  to  float  the  fish. 
Otherwise  they  are  saute,  not  fried. 

Strain  the  fat  and  set  it  away  against  you  wish  to  fry  other 
fish.  Unless  you  are  so  unfortunate  as  to  let  it  get  scorched, 
you  can  use  it  more  than  once. 

FILLETS,  STEAKS,  AND  CUTLETS  OF  FISH  SAUTE. 

You  can  use  good,  sweet  dripping  for  this  purpose,  or  the  fat 
that  runs  from  a  few  slices  of  fat  salt  pork  cooked  in  a  frying-pan. 

Lay  the  fish  in  olive,  oil  and  lemon  for  an  hour.  Rub  well 
with  peppered  and  salted  flour,  and  set  in  a  cold  place  for  half 
an  hour.  Put  into  the  hot  fat,  cook  steadily  until  browned  on 
the  lower  side,  turn  with  care,  and  cook  the  other. 

Drain  off  the  fat  and  serve.  Small  fish  may  also  be  cooked  in 
this  manner. 

FRIED  SMELTS. 

Dip  them  in  milk  (or  cream  is  still  better),  then  roll  in 
salted  and  peppered  flour.  Set  aside  for  an  hour  or  more  in  a 
cold  place,  and  fry  in  hot  deep  cottolene.  Serve  upon  a  folded 
napkin,  or  upon  several  folds  of  tissue-paper  fringed  at  the  ends. 

Pass  sauce  tartare  with  them. 

BROILED  SMELTS. 

Ask  your  fish  merchant  to  split  them  down  the  back  and 
with  a  narrow,  sharp  blade,  to  remove  the  bone.  Perhaps  you 
can  do  it  neatly,  and  perhaps  not.  Broil  quickly  upon  a  well- 
oiled  gridiron;  have  ready  some  nice  mayonnaise,  or  butter, 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  6 1 

lemon,  and  chopped  parsley  beaten  to  a  cream;  lay  the  smelts, 
skin  downward,  upon  a  hot  dish ;  anoint  well  with  this,  and 
serve. 

Saratoga  or  Parisienne  potatoes  should  be  passed  with  them. 

SCALLOPED  FISH. 

Heat  one  cupful  of  milk  to  boiling,  and  stir  it  gradually  into 
three  tablespoon fu Is  of  flour  rubbed  to  a  cream  with  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  butter.  When  it  is  well  mixed  set  over  the  fire  and 
cook,  stirring  often,  three  minutes.  Add  then  a  teaspoonful  of 
anchovy  sauce,  and  pour  the  mixture  upon  a  well-beaten  egg. 
Season  to  taste  with  salt  and  pepper. 

Pick  the  fish  free  from  bones  and  skin,  and  shred — not  chop — 
it  fine.  Put  a  layer  of  fish  into  a  buttered  pudding-dish,  season, 
cover  with  the  sauce ;  more  fish  and  more  sauce,  in  alternate 
layers,  until  the  materials  are  used  up.  Cover  with  fine,  dry 
bread-crumbs  salted  and  peppered  ;  stick  bits  of  butter  upon 
them,  and  bake  covered  until  the  scallop  begins  to  bubble,  when 
uncover  and  brown. 

Salmon  is  especially  good  prepared  in  this  way,  but  the  re- 
mains of  any  firm  fish,  boiled  or  baked,  can  be  scalloped  satis- 
factorily. 

SALMON  LOAF. 

Pick  and  flake  cold  salmon.  Canned  will  do  if  you  can- 
not get  fresh.  Have  ready  the  pounded  yolks  of  two  hard- 
boiled  eggs ;  mix  with  the  shredded  fish,  season  with  pepper, 
salt,  a  pinch  of  mace,  some  minced  parsley,  and  a  tablespoonful 
of  capers,  and  set  aside  in  a  cold  place.  There  should  be  two 
cupfuls  of  the  fish. 

Have  ready  a  little  fish  stock.  If  you  have  boiled  fresh 
salmon  for  the  dish,  strain  a  cupful  of  the  liquor  in  which  it 
was  cooked.  If  not,  cook  half  a  pound  of  some  other  fish,  sea- 
son, and  strain  it.  Do  not  use  the  liquor  from  canned  salmon  ; 
it  is  unwholesome  and  greasy.  Heat  the  stock,  add  a  tablespoon- 
ful of  lemon-juice  and  pour  upon  a  tablespoonful  of  soaked  gela- 
tine. Return  to  the  fire  and  stir  until  scalding  hot,  mix  with  the 


62  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

fish,  and  turn  into  a  buttered  mould,  in  which  you  have  arranged 
rings  of  the  whites  of  the  boiled  eggs  in  fanciful  shapes.  Press 
the  mixture  gently  but  firmly  into  the  mould,  put  a  plate  on  top, 
and  a  weight  upon  this,  and  let  it  get  perfectly  cold.  Turn  out 
upon  a  platter.  It  should  be  firm  and  lightly  glazed.  Cut  into 
slices ;  lay  each  slice  upon  a  lettuce  leaf,  and  serve  mayonnaise 
sauce  with  it. 

SALMON  PUDDING, 

Pick  the  fish,  add  half  as  much  finely  crumbed  bread,  and  a 
tablespoonful  of  butter,  season  with  pepper  and  salt,  with  a  dash 
of  onion-juice.  Beat  two  eggs  light  and  into  these  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  cream,  and  work  into  the  fish  mixture.  Put  all  into 
a  greased  mould  ;  fit  on  the  top  and  set  into  a  pot  of  boiling 
water.  Cook  steadily  for  one  hour  and  a  half.  Dip  the  mould 
into  cold  water  to  loosen  the  pudding,  and  invert  upon  a  hot 
dish. 

Eat  with  a  white  sauce,  with,  if  you  like,  a  teaspoonful  of  an- 
chovy and  a  little  lemon-juice  stirred  into  it. 

BROOK  TROUT. 

Clean,  wash,  and  dry  the  fish,  handling  tenderly,  not  to  mar 
its  beauty  or  flavor,  roll  in  salted  and  peppered  flour,  and  fry  in 
deep  fat  to  a  delicate  brown.  Serve  upon  folded  tissue-paper  in 
a  hot-water  dish,  if  you  have  one.  The  simpler  the  seasoning 
the  better. 

GRAYLING. 

This  second-best  of  game-fish  is  cooked  as  you  would  cook 
trout.  In  the  opinion  of  some  he  outranks  his  better-known 
brother  in  deliciousness.  He  is  found  at  his  best  estate  in  the 
Michigan  woods,  in  a  river  which  he  has  honored  with  his  name. 

CREAMED  SALMON  TROUT. 

Having  cleaned  and  washed  it,  rub  all  over  with  butter  and 
lay  in  your  covered  baking-pan  with  just  enough  water  under  the 
grating  to  keep  him  from  burning,  and  bake  ten  minutes  to  the 
pound,  basting  four  times  and  freely  with  butter  and  water. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  63 

When  done,  transfer  deftly  to  a  heated  dish  and  pour  over  him 
a  white  sauce  made  of  a  cup  of  cream  (a  pinch  of  soda  will  keep 
it  from  curdling),  heated  to  scalding  in  an  outer  vessel  of  boiling 
water,  and  thickened  with  a  great  spoonful  of  butter  rolled  in 
corn-starch,  then  cooked  one  minute.  Add  a  little  chopped 
parsley  to  this  cream  sauce.  Cover  the  dish  and  leave  the  gallant 
beauty  for  three  minutes  to  his  cream  bath,  before  serving. 

CREAMED  PICKEREL. 
Bake  as  you  would  salmon  trout. 

FRIED  PICKEREL. 

Clean,  wipe  dry,  roll  in  salted  and  peppered  flour,  or  dip  in 
egg  and  roll  in  seasoned  cracker-dust,  and  fry  quickly  in  deep 
cottolene  or  oil  brought  slowly  to  the  boil. 

CAT-FISH  (FRIED). 

Skin,  cut  off  the  heads,  season,  roll  in  egg  and  cracker-crumbs, 
and  fry  in  deep  cottolene. 

You  can  make  an  almost  elegant  affair  of  the  plebeian  fish  by 
treating  them,  after  they  are  skinned,  to  a  "  marinade"  of  salad 
oil  and  lemon-juice  or  vinegar,  letting  them  lie  in  this  for  half  an 
hour,  then  egging  and  crumbing  them  before  they  are  fried. 

CAT-FISH  (STEWED). 

Let  them  lie  in  cold  salt  and  water  for  half  an  hour  after  skin- 
ning them  ;  put  into  a  saucepan  with  a  tablespoonful  of  chopped 
onion  for  each  pound  of  fish ;  cover  with  cold  water  and  stew 
until  they  are  tender.  Take  them  out,  salt,  pepper,  and  butter 
them,  and  keep  hot  over  boiling  water,  while  you  add  to  the 
water  in  which  they  were  cooked,  a  great  spoonful  of  butter 
cooked  to  a  roux  with  a  tablespoonful  of  flour,  and  stirred  into 
three  tablespoon fu Is  of  cream  (also  hot),  and  a  little  chopped 
parsley.  Stir  until  it  boils,  and  pour  the  sauce  over  the  fish. 
Let  them  stand  in  it  for  five  minutes  and  serve.  A  beaten  egg 
will  enrich  this  sauce. 


64  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

BOILED  COD. 

Lay  in  salt  and  water  for  half  an  hour  ;  sew  up  in  coarse,  thin 
muslin  fitted  to  the  shape,  and  cook  ten  minutes  to  the  pound, 
after  the  boil  begins,  in  boiling  salted  water  in  which  a  table- 
spoonful  of  vinegar  has  been  mixed.  Cut  the  stitches,  remove 
the  cloth,  lay  the  fish  upon  a  hot  platter,  rub  over  with  butter 
and  lemon-juice,  pour  over  it  a  good  egg  sauce  and  serve  more 
of  the  same  in  a  boat. 

COD-STEAKS. 

Leave  in  salt  and  water  fifteen  minutes  ;  wipe  dry  and  cover 
with  salad  oil  and  vinegar  for  half  an  hour  or  more.  Broil  then 
upon  a  well-greased  gridiron ;  butter  well,  pepper  and  salt,  and 
serve  with  a  garnish  of  potato-balls,  made  by  beating  a  raw  egg 
into  mashed  potato,  forming  the  paste  into  balls,  rolling  them 
in  flour  and  setting  upon  the  upper  grating  of  a  quick  oven  to 
brown. 

SCALLOPED  CODFISH  (FRESH). 

Fry  a  sliced  onion  in  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter,  strain  it 
out,  return  the  butter  to  the  pan  and  stir  in  two  tablespoonfuls 
of  flour  until  it  bubbles  all  over.  Take  from  the  fire  and  add 
gradually,  stirring  well,  a  cupful  of  hot  milk.  Season  with  salt 
and  paprica,  or  cayenne. 

Whip  to  a  cream,  with  a  little  milk  and  butter,  four  hot  mealy 
boiled  potatoes,  and  when  light  beat  in  an  egg.  Fill  a  deep 
dish  with  alternate  layers  of  cold  boiled  codfish,  picked  fine  and 
seasoned  to  taste  and  the  sauce  just  described,  and  spread  the 
mashed  potato  like  a  crust  over  the  top.  Wash  the  crust  with 
melted  butter  and  sift  finely  grated  cheese  over  the  butter. 
Bake  to  a  light  brown  in  a  quick  oven  and  serve  in  the  dish. 

HALIBUT  LOAF. 

Two  cupfuls  of  picked  halibut — boiled  and  cold.  Two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  butter.  Two  eggs.  Four  tablespoonfuls  of  milk  or 
cream.  One  tablespoonful  of  flour,  stirred  to  a  roux  in  the  hot 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  65 

butter.  Pepper,  salt,  and  onion -juice  to  taste.  One  teaspoonful 
of  anchovy  paste.  Half  a  can  of  mushrooms  chopped  fine. 
Chop  the  fish  as  fine  as  it  can  be  made  and  seasoned  ;  mix  into 
this  the  mushrooms,  the  roux,  and  the  milk,  which  should  have 
been  heated  and  whipped  light  with  the  eggs.  Pour  into  a  well- 
greased  mould  with  a  close  top,  set  in  a  deep  pan  of  hot  water 
that  yet  will  not  float  the  mould,  and  cook  steadily  one  hour. 
Dip  the  mould  in  cold  water  to  loosen  the  pudding  from  the 
sides,  and  turn  out  upon  a  heated  dish. 

This  excellent  side-dish  may  be  made  ornamental  by  cooking 
it  in  a  mould  that  has  a  funnel  in  the  centre,  and  when  it  is 
dished,  filling  the  hole  in  the  centre  with  Parisienne  potatoes, 
i.e.,  cut  into  marble-shaped  balls  with  a  potato-gouge,  then 
boiled.  Butter  the  potato-balls  plentifully  after  they  go  in,  and 
sprinkle  with  pepper  and  salt. 

Any  firm  fish  may  be  cooked  in  the  same  way. 

STURGEON  STEAKS. 

Skin  and  lay  for  an  hour  in  cold  salt  and  water.  Wipe  dry, 
let  them  soak  in  a  marinade  of  oil  and  vinegar  for  an  hour. 
Broil  over  clear  coals,  turning  dexterously  twice.  Butter  and 
sprinkle  with  cayenne  and  garnish  with  sliced  lemon. 

BAKED  STURGEON. 

Prepare  as  you  would  the  steaks,  then  parboil  for  fifteen  min- 
utes and  let  it  cool,  Rub  the  marinade  now  well  into  the  flesh 
of  the  fish,  and  bake,  covered,  ten  minutes  to  the  pound,  with 
just  enough  water  to  prevent  burning.  Serve  with  caper  sauce. 

Or— 

After  the  parboiled  fish  is  perfectly  cold  and  has  lain  in  the 
marinade  half  an  hour,  gash  the  surface  nearly  an  inch  deep 
and  rub  in  a  forcemeat  of  bread-crumbs,  finely  chopped  salt 
pork,  parsley,  a  little  lemon-juice,  pepper,  and  butter.  Then 
bake. 


66  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

STEWED  EELS. 

Skin  and  clean,  removing  all  the  fat.  Cut  into  inch  lengths, 
cover  with  cold  water  and  cook  gently  three-quarters  of  an  hour. 
Season  with  onion -juice,  chopped  parsley,  pepper  and  salt,  stew 
fifteen  minutes,  and  thicken  with  two  tablespoonfuls  of  white 
roux. 

FRIED  EELS. 

Prepare  as  for  stewing ;  leave  in  olive  oil  and  vinegar  for  half 
an  hour,  pepper  and  salt ;  roll  in  egg  and  cracker-dust,  and  fry 
in  deep  cottolene. 

SALT  FISH. 

BROILED  SALT  MACKEREL. 

Wash  and  scrape  the  fish.  Soak  all  night,  changing  the 
water  at  bed-time  for  tepid,  and  again  early  in  the  morning  for 
almost  scalding.  Keep  this  hot  for  an  hour  by  setting  the  vessel 
containing  the  soaking  fish  on  the  side  of  the  range.  Wash, 
now,  in  cold  water  with  a  stiff  brush  or  rough  cloth,  wipe  per- 
fectly dry,  rub  all  over  with  salad  oil  and  vinegar,  or  lemon- 
juice,  and  let  it  lie  in  this  marinade  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  be- 
fore broiling  it  over  clear  coals. 

Lay  on  a  hot  dish  and  spread  with  a  mixture  of  butter,  lemon- 
juice,  and  minced  parsley.  The  mackerel  will  be  so  far  superior 
to  that  cooked  in  the  old-fashioned  way  that  it  will  amply  repay 
you  for  the  trifling  additional  work. 

BOILED  MACKEREL. 

Wash,  scrape,  and  soak  as  directed  in  the  last  recipe.  In  the 
morning  lay  in  hot  water  for  an  hour.  Throw  this  away,  put 
the  fish  into  a  large  frying-pan,  cover  with  boiling  water,  to 
which  has  been  added  a  tablespoonful  of  vinegar,  and  simmer 
gently  for  twenty  minutes.  Dish  upon  a  heated  platter  and 
pour  over  it  a  white  sauce.  Cover  it  and  leave  it  to  stand  over 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  ROOK  6/ 

boiling  water  for  five  minutes  that  the  sauce  may  soak  into  it, 
and  it  is  ready  for  the  table. 

SALT  MACKEREL  WITH  TOMATO  SAUCE. 

Proceed  as  with  boiled  mackerel,  but  when  dished,  pour  over 
it,  instead  of  the  white  sauce,  one  of  tomatoes,  stewed,  strained, 
seasoned  with  onion-juice,  pepper,  salt,  and  sugar,  and  thickened 
with  a  brown  roux  of  butter  and  flour.  Let  the  fish  lie  in  this 
for  ten  minutes  and  serve. 

CREAMED  CODFISH  (SALT). 

Soak  all  night,  changing  the  water  several  times  and  having 
the  last  bath  quite  hot.  Boil  tender  in  hot  water  with  a  table- 
spoonful  of  vinegar.  Take  out  the  bones  while  hot,  and  let  it 
cool  before  picking  or  shredding  it  into  fine  flakes.  Heat  a 
cupful  of  milk,  stir  into  it  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  rolled  in  one 
of  flour,  cook  until  it  thickens  well,  take  from  the  fire  and  add 
two  beaten  eggs.  When  these  are  well  mixed,  add  the  shredded 
fish,  and  cook  two  minutes,  stirring  steadily.  A  tablespoonful 
of  minced  parsley  is  an  improvement,  also,  a  little  lemon-juice. 
Season  with  cayenne  or  paprica.  Serve  hot. 

SMOKED  SALMON. 

Soak  over  night,  changing  the  water  three  times  for  warmer. 
In  the  morning  rub  hard  to  get  rid  of  the  smoke  and  rust,  leave 
in  ice-water  half  an  hour,  wipe  dry,  rub  with  olive  oil  and 
vinegar  and  broil  over  a  clean  fire.  Pass  sliced  lemon  with  it. 

A  QUICK  RELISH  OF  SMOKED  SALMON. 

Half  a  pound  of  smoked  salmon  cut  into  narrow  strips ;  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  butter  ;  juice  of  half  a  lemon  ;  cayenne  pepper. 
Parboil  the  salmon  ten  minutes;  lay  in  cold  water  for  the  same 
length  of  time ;  wipe  dry,  and  broil  over  a  clear  fire.  Butter 
while  hot,  season  with  cayenne  and  lemon-juice,  pile  in  a  "  log- 
cabin  "  square  upon  a  hot  plate,  and  send  up  with  dry  toast. 


68  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


SARDINES  AU  GRATIN. 

Lift  each  fish  carefully  from  the  oil  in  which  it  was  put  up, 
hold  suspended  for  a  moment  to  let  most  of  the  oil  drip  from  it, 
squeeze  a  few  drops  of  lemon-juice  upon  it  and  roll  in  very  fine, 
peppered,  cracker  dust.  Lay  upon  a  buttered  tin,  or  stoneware 
plate,  and  brown  lightly  upon  the  upper  grating  of  a  quick  oven. 
Pass  crackers,  heated  and  buttered,  and  sliced  lemon  with  them. 
They  are  a  good  luncheon  or  supper-dish. 

SMOKED  HERRING,  ALEWIVES,  BLOATERS,  ETC 

Wash  thoroughly,  wipe  dry,  wrap  them  in  clean,  wet  manilla 
paper,  and  leave  in  a  quick  oven  for  fifteen  minutes.  Serve  with 
sliced  lemon. 

"FINNAN  HADDIE/' 

A  Scotch  delicacy  that  is  becoming  popular  with  us.  Wash 
thoroughly,  leave  in  cold  water  half  an  hour,  then  for  five 
minutes  in  very  hot.  Wipe,  rub  over  with  butter  and  lemon- 
juice  and  broil  fifteen  minutes. 

CODFISH  BALLS. 

The  purified,  shredded  codfish,  to  be  bought  by  the  box  from 
any  grocer,  is  best  for  these.  Soak  it  for  two  or  three  hours, 
then  boil  for  fifteen  minutes  in  water  that  has  had  a  tablespoon- 
ful  of  vinegar  stirred  into  it,  and  spread  upon  a  sieve  to  get 
cold. 

Allow  to  each  cupful  of  fish  half  as  much  mashed  potato 
whipped  to  a  soft  cream.  Mix  them  together  well,  make  very 
hot  over  the  fire  and  beat  in  a  frothed  egg  for  every  cupful  of 
fish.  Season  with  pepper.  Let  the  mixture  get  quite  cold, 
make  into  balls,  roll  in  flour,  and  set  in  a  cold  place  to  stiffen. 
If  you  wish  them  for  breakfast  you  will  do  well  to  make  them 
the  night  before. 

Roll  again  in  flour  and  fry  in  deep  fat  to  a  yellow -brown. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  69 


SHELL-FISH. 

ROASTED  OYSTERS, 

Wash  thoroughly  and  lay  upon  hot  coals,  or  in  a  shallow  pan 
on  the  top  of  the  stove,  the  deeper  shell  downward,  until  they 
open  wide.  Take  off  the  loosened  upper  shell,  carefully,  to  re- 
tain the  juice,  and  lay  upon  a  hot  platter,  or  upon  hot  plates,  a 
bit  of  butter  upon  each  steaming  oyster,  and  send  at  once  to 
table.  Pass  pepper,  salt,  and  sliced  lemon,  also  pepper  sauce, 
that  the  eaters  may  have  their  choice  of  seasoning. 

CREAMED  OYSTERS. 

One  quart  of  oysters.  One  cupful  of  milk,  with  a  tiny  pinch 
of  soda  dissolved  in  it.  One  cupful  of  oyster  liquor.  Three  ta- 
blespoonfuls  of  butter.  Two  tablespoon fuls  of  flour.  One  egg. 
Juice  of  half  a  lemon.  Pepper  and  salt. 

Cook  the  butter  and  flour  together  until  they  bubble  ;  add  the 
milk  and  the  oyster  liquor,  and  stir  until  you  have  a  thick  sauce. 
Into  this  drop  the  oysters,  freed  from  their  liquor.  Have  ready 
an  egg  beaten  light  in  a  cup,  mix  some  of  the  hot  sauce  with  it, 
turn  all  back  into  the  saucepan,  stir  one  minute — no  longer — and 
take  from  the  fire.  Season  with  pepper,  salt,  and  lemon-juice. 
Have  ready  buttered  scallop-shells,  fill  them  with  the  creamed 
oysters,  sprinkle  lightly  with  crumbs,  dot  thickly  with  bits  of 
butter,  and  brown  delicately  in  a  quick  oven.  Eat  very  hot. 

PANNED  OYSTERS.    (No.  J.) 

Heat  a  dozen  pate-pans,  and  lay  a  scant  half  teaspoonful  of 
butter  in  each.  Fill  with  raw  oysters  from  which  all  the  juice 
has  been  drained,  cover  closely  and  cook  for  ten  minutes  in  a 
quick  oven,  or  until  the  oysters  plump  and  ruffle.  Send  to 
table  in  the  pans  with  a  firm  sauce  of  lemon-juice,  butter,  and 
parsley  beaten  light. 


7O  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

PANNED  OYSTERS.    (No.  2.) 

Butter  the  heated  pans  and  fit  in  the  bottom  of  each  a  round 
of  buttered,  peppered,  and  salted  toast.  Lay  the  drained  oysters 
upon  this,  cover  and  cook.  Serve  in  the  tins.  If  you  have  sil- 
ver pate  pans,  this  is  really  an  elegant  dish,  and  one  that  pre- 
serves the  flavor  of  the  oysters  to  perfection. 

BROILED  OYSTERS.    (No.  J.) 

Drain  fine  fat  oysters  and  dry  well  by  laying  them  upon  a 
cloth,  covering  with  another  and  gently  patting  the  upper. 
Sprinkle  with  salt  and  paprica,  or  cayenne,  and  broil  upon  a 
hot  buttered  gridiron.  Heat  the  liquor  strained  from  them 
and  add  a  white  roux — a  tablespoonful  to  a  cup  of  liquor — boil 
up,  season  with  kitchen  bouquet  and  serve  in  a  gravy-boat  with 
the  oysters.  These  should  go  to  table  in  a  hot- water  dish. 

BROILED  OYSTERS.    (No.  2.) 

Salt  and  pepper  large  fine  oysters,  roll  them  in  fine  cracker- 
dust  and  broil  upon  a  well-greased  wire  oyster-broiler  for  three 
minutes,  turning  twice.  Serve  upon  rounds  of  buttered  toast, 
put  a  little  sauce  of  lemon -juice  beaten  up  with  butter  on  each, 
and  serve  in  a  hot-water  dish. 

FRIED  OYSTERS. 

Drain  and  wipe  fine  large  oysters,  dip  each  first  in  cracker- 
dust  (peppered  and  salted),  then  in  beaten  egg,  and  again  in  the 
cracker,  and  arrange  upon  a  large  cold  platter.  Set  upon  ice  for 
half  an  hour  and  fry  in  butter  that  has  been  gradually  brought  to 
a  boil.  Cook  a  few  at  a  time,  and  if  the  crumbs  come  off  in  the 
fat,  strain  them  out  before  the  next  instalment  goes  in. 

FRIED  OYSTERS  AU  SUPREME. 

Drain  the  liquor  from  twenty-five  large  oysters,  heat  it  and 
when  it  boils  put  in  the  oysters  and  cook  one  minute  after  the 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  7 1 

liquor  grows  scalding  hot  again.  Take  them  out,  spread  upon  a 
folded  cloth  laid  within  a  sieve  and  set  in  the  refrigerator  to  get 
cold.  Meanwhile  make  a  good  white  sauce  of  two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  butter  rolled  in  as  much  flour  and  stirred  into  a  cupful  of 
boiling  milk.  Season  with  a  little  onion-juice,  salt,  and  cayenne ; 
take  from  the  fire  and  beat  in  the  yolks  of  two  eggs  to  each 
cupful  of  sauce.  Put  back  over  the  fire  and  stir  one  minute,  but 
do  not  let  it  boil.  Pour  upon  a  broad  platter,  and  when  luke- 
warm and  thick,  remove  the  oysters  to  a  clean  dry  cloth  spread 
upon  a  tray  ;  with  a  spoon  coat  each  with  the  sauce  on  both 
sides  and  set  at  once  on  ice.  Leave  them  there  until  the  coating 
is  firm ;  trim  off  the  edges,  take  up  each  in  a  wire  spoon  and 
cover  with  raw  egg,  then  with  fine  cracker-dust,  and  fry  them  in 
a  wire  basket  immersed  in  boiling  fat. 

SCALLOPED  OYSTERS. 

Cover  the  bottom  of  a  greased  bake-dish  with  oysters,  and  the 
oysters  with  fine  cracker-crumbs.  Sprinkle  these  with  pepper, 
salt,  and  bits  of  butter ;  then  lay  in  more  oysters  and  go  on  in 
this  order  until  all  are  in.  The  top  layer  should  be  of  crumbs 
and  well  buttered.  Pour  over  each  layer  of  oysters,  as  it  goes 
in,  a  few  spoonfuls  of  oyster  liquor,  and  upon  the  crumbs  the 
same  quantity  of  cream.  Bake,  covered,  in  a  quick  oven  until 
hot  all  through,  uncover  and  brown  lightly. 

Serve  with  sliced  lemon. 

You  may  fill  clam-shells,  or  silver  or  china  scallop  shells  in 
like  manner. 

SCALLOPED  OYSTERS  AU  SUPREME. 

Drain  the  oysters  and  reserve  the  liquor  for  some  other  dish. 
Butter  a  pudding-dish,  cover  the  bottom  with  oysters,  and  these 
with  fine  cracker-crumbs ;  sprinkle  the  crumbs  with  bits  of  but- 
ter, minced  parsley,  celery-salt,  here  and  there  a  few  capers  and 
a  dust  of  paprica,  and  moisten  with  cream  or  with  milk  which 
has  been  heated  and  thickened  slightly  with  a  white  roux,  and 
allowed  to  cool.  Now  another  layer  of  oysters,  more  seasoned 


72  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

crumbs  and  cream,  until  the  dish  is  full,  having  crumbs  thickly 
dotted  with  butter  on  top. 

Bake  covered  until  it  bubbles,  uncover  and  brown  lightly.  It 
should  require  not  more  than  half  an  hour. 

OYSTER  PATES. 

Heat  the  liquor  to  a  boil,  drop  in  the  oysters  and  cook  three 
minutes  after  the  boil  begins.  Drain  and  cut  them  into  quar- 
ters, and  keep  hot  over  boiling  water.  For  each  quart  of  oys- 
ters put  one  tablespoonful  of  butter  into  a  frying-pan  and  when 
hot,  stir  in  an  equal  quantity  of  flour.  Toss  and  stir  three  min- 
utes, take  from  the  fire  and  pour  gradually  upon  it  a  cupful  of 
hot  milk  in  which  a  bit  of  soda  has  been  dissolved.  Season, 
and  let  it  get  lukewarm,  then  beat  in  the  yolk  of  a  raw  egg  for 
each  cupful  of  sauce.  Heat  again,  setting  the  saucepan  in  boil- 
ing water.  When  smoking  hot,  put  into  a  bowl  and  add  the 
oysters.  Fill  heated  shells  of  baked  pastry  and  send  to  table. 

Cooks  sometimes  fail  with  this  mixture  because  the  oysters  are 
cooked  in  the  sauce,  and  make  it  watery.  If  they  are  small,  you  need 
not  quarter  them. 

OYSTER  PIE. 

Line  the  dish  with  fine  puff  paste.  Fill  with  dry  crusts  of 
bread  and  lay  the  top  crust  over  these.  Bake  in  a  quick  oven  ; 
remove  the  upper  crust  with  care,  take  out  the  crusts  and  fill 
with  such  a  mixture  as  you  would  prepare  for  pates,  but  leaving 
the  oysters  whole.  Set  in  the  oven  a  few  minutes  to  re-heat 
before  serving. 

CURRIED  OYSTERS. 

Make  a  roux  of  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  in  which  half  a 
sliced  onion  has  been  fried,  then  strained  out,  and  a  heaping 
tablespoonful  of  flour  with  a  teaspoonful  of  curry  powder.  Cook 
for  three  minutes,  stirring  diligently ;  add  a  cupful  of  oyster- 
liquor,  heated  to  boiling  and  strained.  Toss  and  stir  until  you 
have  a  smooth,  thin  paste,  "  old-gold  "  in  color,  and  pour  upon 
broiled  oysters  arranged  in  a  hot-water  dish. 

Send  around  boiled  rice  with  it. 


THE  NAl^IONAL    COOK  BOOK  73 

FRIED  OYSTERS  A  LA  BROCHETTE. 

Drain  the  oysters,  roll  each  in  a  slice  of  breakfast  bacon,  no 
thicker  than  writing  paper  ;  pass  a  stout  straw  or  a  toothpick 
through  both,  and  then  through  other  two,  making  three  oysters 
and  three  slices  of  bacon  upon  each  toothpick.  Heat  and  but- 
ter well  a  clean  frying-pan,  lay  the  "  brochettes  "  in  it,  and 
turn  often  while  cooking,  that  the  heat  may  get  at  all  parts  of 
oysters  and  bacon.  The  fat  from  the  pork  should  be  sufficient 
to  fry  the  oysters.  The  bacon  should  curl  and  be  clear  when 
done.  Serve  upon  squares  of  thin  buttered  toast,  and  garnish 
with  parsley  and  sliced  lemon. 

ROAST  OYSTERS  A  LA  BROCHETTE. 

These  are  sometimes  called  spindled  oysters.  Run  a  slender 
skewer — (a  sharp  knitting-needle  will  serve  the  purpose  well) — 
through  the  hard  parts  of  six  oysters  and  the  upper  edges  of  six 
thin  slices  of  breakfast  bacon.  When  you  have  five  or  six 
needles  thus  strung,  lay  them  across  the  top  of  a  narrow  tin-pan 
or  bake-dish.  Oysters  and  bacon  should  be  suspended  from 
the  skewers,  but  not  quite  touch  the  bottom  of  the  pan.  Set 
upon  the  upper  grating  of  a  hot  oven,  and  cook  nearly  ten 
minutes. 

Serve  upon  buttered  strips  of  toast ;  season  the  liquor  that 
has  dripped  from  them  with  lemon-juice  and  cayenne  or  pap- 
rica,  pour  over  the  oysters  and  toast  and  serve  immediately. 

STEWED  TERRAPIN. 

Kill  the  terrapins  by  dropping  into  hard-boiling  water.  Cook 
one  hour  or  until  the  skin  comes  off  easily  from  the  heads  and 
feet.  Let  them  get  perfectly  cold  ;  take  off  the  shells,  remove 
intestines,  lights,  heads,  hearts,  tails,  and  feet.  Be  careful  not  to 
break  the  gall-bag.  Cut  into  dice,  put  into  a  saucepan,  and  just 
cover  with  water  and  stew,  after  they  reach  the  boil,  for  fifteen 
minutes.  Have  ready  the  yolk  of  one  hard-boiled  egg  for  each 


74  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

terrapin,  rub  to  a  powder,  and  then  to  a  paste  with  butter,  allow- 
ing a  teaspoonful  for  each  terrapin.  Heat  three  tablespoon  - 
fuls  of  cream  in  a  saucepan,  for  each  terrapin  (dropping  in  a 
bit  of  soda).  Pour  upon  the  egg-and-butter  paste  by  degrees, 
season  with  paprica  or  cayenne,  salt,  a  pinch  of  nutmeg  or  mace, 
and  stir  into  the  stewed  terrapin.  Cook  two  minutes  or  until 
scalding  hot,  add  a  teaspoonful  of  sherry  for  each  terrapin,  and 
serve  hot  at  once. 

This  is  the  Baltimore  recipe  for  the  expensive  delicacy. 

PHILADELPHIA  TERRAPIN. 

Cook  as  above  directed,  but  instead  of  the  pounded  yolks  add 
to  the  hot  cream  three  raw  yolks  beaten  light,  after  which  the 
stew  should  not  be  suffered  to  boil.  Bring  up  the  heat  by  set- 
ting it  in  boiling  water  for  ten  minutes.  If  there  are  no  eggs 
in  the  terrapin,  make  force-meat  balls  of  pounded  yolks  worked 
to  a  paste  with  butter,  and  seasoned  with  pepper  and  salt,  and 
made  manageable  by  a  little  flour.  Mould  with  floured  hands, 
drop  into  boiling  water,  and  simmer  three  minutes,  then  put 
into  the  stew. 

CLAMS. 

How  to  Open  Them. 

If  they  are  to  be  eaten  raw,  have  your  fishmonger  open  them 
with  a  knife  made  for  the  purpose. 

If  they  are  to  be  cooked,  wash  the  shells  well  and  put  them 
into  a  steamer,  or,  if  you  have  none,  into  a  broad  colander,  taking 
care  to  have  the  clams  in  such  a  position  that  the  juice  will  not 
leak  down  into  the  lower  vessel  as  they  open.  Set  this  over 
boiling  water,  cover  the  steamer  closely  and  keep  the  water  at  a 
furious  boil  until  the  clams  gape.  Take  them  out,  one  by  one, 
drain  off  the  liquor  and  strain  it  through  a  cloth  to  get  rid  of 
sand  or  dust. 

ROAST  CLAMS. 

Prepare  as  you  would  oysters,  but  roast  three  minutes  longer. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  75 

BAKED  CLAMS. 

Open  as  directed  at  head  of  this  article,  but  be  careful  to  re- 
serve to  every  shell  all  the  juice  that  belongs  to  it.  Leave  the 
clams  in  the  lower  shells,  put  a  bit  of  butter,  a  drop  of  onion- 
juice,  and  a  sprinkle  of  paprica  or  cayenne,  with  a  mere  dust  of 
salt  upon  each  ;  replace  the  top  shell,  tying  it  on  with  a  bit  of 
cotton  string ;  arrange  the  shells  upon  a  hot  pan  and  bake  fif- 
teen or  eighteen  minutes,  according  to  the  size  of  the  clams. 
Remove  the  upper  shells,  squeeze  upon  each  clam  a  few  drops  of 
lemon  and  the  same  of  tomato-catsup,  and  serve  on  the  shells. 

CREAMED  CLAMS. 

Steam  the  clams  until  wide  open,  drain  off  the  liquor,  set  it 
aside,  chop  the  clams  fine  and  set  in  a  vessel  of  boiling  water 
upon  the  range,  while  you  make  the  sauce  by  adding  to  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  white  roux  the  heated  liquor,  and  stirring  it 
smooth  over  the  fire.  Season  with  salt  and  cayenne,  or  paprica. 
Have  hot  in  another  vessel  for  a  cupful  of  the  chopped  clams 
half  a  cup  of  cream,  or  rich  milk,  in  which  has  been  put  a  pinch 
of  soda,  pour  it  upon  a  beaten  egg,  cook  two  minutes,  stirring  all 
the  while.  Put  the  chopped  clams  into  a  bowl,  stir  in  the  thick- 
ened liquor,  lastly  the  hot  cream  and  egg,  mix  quickly,  and  pour 
over  buttered  toast  laid  upon  a  hot  platter. 

SCALLOPED  DEVILED  CLAMS. 

Chop  thirty  clams  fine,  set  in  a  closed  vessel  and  this  in  an- 
other of  boiling  water  over  the  fire. 

Fry  a  sliced  onion  light-brown  in  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter; 
strain  out  the  onion,  return  the  butter  to  the  range  and  stir  into 
it  three  chopped  tomatoes,  a  pinch  of  mace,  salt,  and  paprica  to 
taste.  Cook  four  minutes,  dust  with  flour  from  a  dredger,  take 
from  the  fire  and  pour  upon  two  frothed  eggs.  Lastly,  add  the 
clams,  fill  scallop-  or  clam-shells  with  the  mixture,  cover  with 
fine  cracker-crumbs,  sticking  bits  of  butter  in  the  top  and  bake 
in  a  quick  oven  fifteen  minutes,  or  until  browned. 


76  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

SCALLOPED  CLAMS. 

Drain  and  chop  two  dozen  clams.  Make  a  white  sauce  by 
stirring  into  a  cup  of  hot  milk  a  heaping  tablespoonful  of  flour 
rolled  in  two  teaspoonfuls  of  corn-starch.  When  it  thickens  add 
the  pounded  yolks  of  two  hard-boiled  eggs,  a  little  minced  pars- 
ley, a  pinch  of  mace,  and  the  beaten  yolk  of  a  raw  egg,  with  salt 
and  pepper  to  taste.  Stir  one  minute,  remove  from  the  fire  and 
pour  upon  the  chopped  clams,  which  should  be  steaming  hot. 
Fill  shells  or  pate-pans  with  the  mixture,  cover  with  fine  crumbs, 
stick  bits  of  butter  upon  these,  and  bake  in  a  hot  oven  until 
browned. 

CLAM  FRITTERS, 

Chop  two  dozen  "long"  clams  fine;  pepper  and  salt  them. 
To  make  the  batter,  sift  into  a  bowl  twice,  through  a  pint  of 
flour,  a  level  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  baking  powder,  and  a 
saltspoonful  of  salt.  Beat  two  eggs  light,  add  a  cupful  of  milk 
and  half  as  much  clam  liquor  and  pour  this  into  a  hole  in  the 
middle  of  the  flour.  When  the  deep  cottolene  in  your  frying- 
pan  is  hot,  and  not  until  then,  add  the  clams  to  the  batter,  and 
drop  it,  by  the  spoonful,  into  the  boiling  fat.  Turn  each  fritter 
as  it  browns  upon  the  lower  side. 

You  can  make  the  clam  batter  into  pancakes  by  frying  it  upon 
a  griddle. 

They  are  a  nice  breakfast  dish. 

CLAM  PIE. 

An  Old  New  England  Seashore  Dish. 

Chop  the  clams  if  large,  saving  the  liquor  that  runs  from  them. 
Heat,  strain,  and  season  this  and  cook  the  chopped  clams  for  ten 
minutes  in  it. 

Have  a  thick  top-crust  of  good  pastry,  but  none  at  the  bottom 
of  the  bake-dish.  Fill  it  with  alternate  layers  of  the  minced 
clams,  seasoned  with  salt,  pepper,  a  few  drops  of  onion-juice, 
some  bits  of  butter  and  a  few  teaspoonfuls  of  strained  tomato- 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  77 

sauce,  and  thin  slices  of  boiled  potatoes.  Dredge  each  layer  of 
clams  with  flour.  Lastly,  pour  in  a  cupful  of  clam-juice,  put  on 
the  crust  and  bake  half  an  hour  in  a  quick  oven. 

CREAMED  SCALLOPS. 

Scald  scallops  in  their  own  or  in  oyster  liquor,  leaving  them 
in  only  two  minutes  after  the  liquid  reaches  the  boil.  Heat  a 
cupful  of  milk,  thicken  it  with  a  tablespoonful  of  flour  rubbed 
smooth  with  a  teaspoonful  of  butter,  drain  the  scallops  and  put 
them  into  this  sauce.  Season  to  taste,  and  serve  on  squares  of 
toast. 

FRIED  SCALLOPS.    (No.  J.) 

Dry  them  with  a  soft  bit  of  old  linen,  roll  in  finely  pounded 
cracker,  salted  and  peppered,  then  in  a  beaten  egg  and  again  in 
the  crumbs  before  dropping  them  into  boiling  cottolene.  Cook 
to  a  light  golden  brown. 

FRIED  SCALLOPS.     (No.  2.) 

Drop  the  scallops  into  boiling  water  and  cook  fast  for  five 
minutes  ;  drain  and  spread  them  upon  a  cloth  to  get  cold. 
Meanwhile,  make  a  batter  by  sifting  twice,  through  a  cupful  of 
flour,  a  half  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  baking  powder,  and  the 
same  quantity  of  flour  ;  wetting  it  with  half  a  cupful  of  milk  into 
which  has  been  beaten  two  well-whipped  eggs  and  a  teaspoonful 
of  melted  butter.  Beat  hard.  The  scallops  should  be  cold  and 
stiff  when  they  are  dipped  into  this  batter,  and  fried  in  deep  cot- 
tolene. 

LOBSTERS. 

It  is  always  safe  to  cook  your  lobster  yourself  unless  you 
have  an  exceptionally  honest  fish-merchant,  or  are  yourself  an 
apt  judge  of  shell-fish  in  all  their  varieties.  The  enclosed  excel- 
lent directions  for  choosing,  killing,  and  preparing  "  the  tooth- 
some lobster  ' '  for  cooking  are  copied  gratefully  from  The  New 
York  Sun. 

' '  Lobsters  are  more  easily  prepared  for  the  table  than  young 


78  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

housewives  imagine,  and  many  delicious  dishes  may  be  made 
with  them. 

"Should  ready-boiled  lobsters  be  purchased,  test  them  by 
gently  drawing  back  the  tail,  which  should  rebound  with  a 
spring.  If  the  tail  is  not  curled  up  and  will  not  spring  back 
when  straightened,  the  lobster  was  dead  when  boiled  and  should 
not  be  eaten.  Choose  the  smaller  lobsters  that  are  heavy  for 
their  size,  as  the  larger  ones  are  apt  to  be  coarse  and  tough. 
Lobsters  weighing  from  one  and  one -half  to  three  pounds  are  the 
best  in  size. 

"  All  parts  of  the  lobster  are  wholesome  and  may  be  used  ex- 
cept the  stomach,  which  is  a  small  hard  sack  and  contains  poi- 
sonous matter,  and  lies  directly  under  the  head,  and  a  little  vein 
which  runs  the  entire  length  of  the  tail. 

"To  boil  a  lobster,  put  into  a  kettle  water  enough  to  cover 
the  lobster.  When  the  water  is  hot,  but  not  boiling,  put  in  the 
live  lobster,  head  first.  In  this  way  the  lobster  will  be  instantly 
smothered  to  death.  Put  a  tablespoonful  of  salt  into  the  water, 
cover  the  kettle,  and  boil  a  medium-sized  lobster  thirty  minutes. 
Cooking  too  long  will  make  the  meat  tough  and  dry.  When  the 
lobster  becomes  cold,  twist  off  the  claws  and  break  apart  the 
tail  and  body,  take  out  the  green  fatty  part,  which  is  the  liver 
of  the  lobster,  and  coral,  and  lay  them  one  side  to  use  with 
the  meat.  Remove  the  stomach,  which  is  below  the  head,  and 
throw  it  away.  Break  open  the  body  and  take  out  all  the  small 
pieces  of  meat.  Cut  the  under  side  of  the  tail  shell  open  and 
loosen  the  meat,  taking  it  out  in  one  piece.  Open  the  meat  and 
remove  the  little  vein  and  throw  it  away.  In  cracking  the  claws 
hold  them  on  the  edge  of  the  table.  By  doing  so  the  shell  will 
be  cracked  and  the  meat  will  not  be  crushed.  Save  the  small 
claws  to  garnish  with." 

BROILED  LOBSTER. 

When  convenient,  have  your  fish -merchant  remove  the 
stomach  and  the  long  intestine  running  through  the  body,  when 
he  has  split  the  wriggling  crustacean  down  the  back.  If  you 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  79 

cannot  h-ive  this  done,  drive  a  sharp  knife  into  the  back  just 
where  the  shells  of  body  and  tail  overlap,  and  remove  the  objec- 
tionable parts.  Lay  the  divided  sides  upon  the  gridiron,  shell 
downward,  and  broil  for  over  half  an  hour.  Baste  the  meat 
four  times  while  in  cooking  with  butter  and  lemon-juice  beaten 
to  a  cream.  When  half-done,  turn  the  flesh  side  down,  for  a 
few  minutes.  When  done,  sprinkle  with  salt  and  cayenne  and 
split  up  the  claws  with  a  pair  of  sharp  scissors.  Serve  melted 
butter  and  pass  oyster-crackers  and  sliced  lemon  with  it. 

FARCIED   LOBSTER. 

Make  a  thick  sauce  of— 

Two  tablespoon fuls  of  butter  heated  to  hissing,  and  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  flour  stirred  into  it  at  this  point.  Take  from  the 
fire,  add  gradually  a  cupful  of  hot  milk  seasoned  with  salt, 
cayenne,  and  parsley  (not  forgetting  the  pinch  of  soda).  Re- 
turn to  the  fire,  and  when  it  boils  draw  to  one  side  and  stir  in — 
Pounded  yolks  of  three  hard-boiled  eggs.  A  tablespoonful  of  fine 
bread-crumbs.  Two  cupfuls  of  lobster  meat  (boiled  and  cold), 
cut  into  neat  dice. 

The  shell  of  the  lobster  should  not  have  been  broken  in 
taking  out  the  meat.  Have  it  now  washed  and  dried  and  stuffed 
with  the  mixture.  Cover  the  open  side  with  fine  crumbs,  with 
bits  of  butter  here  and  there,  sprinkle  with  salt  and  paprica, 
and  brown  in  a  quick  oven. 

Serve  with  sliced  lemon,  and  garnish  with  curled  parsley. 

BUTTERED  LOBSTER. 

Meat  of  two  boiled  lobsters,  or  one  can  of  preserved  lobster ; 
three  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  (heaping) ;  two  lemons — juice 
only  ;  one  cup  of  cracker-crumbs ;  half  a  teaspoon ful  of  made 
mustard ;  a  go_od^pinch  of  cayenne  pepper  ;  salt.  Open  the 
lobster-can  and  empty  it  into  a  bowl  an  hour  before  using  it. 
Mince  evenly.  Put  lemon-juice,  butter,  and  seasoning  into  a 
saucepan,  and  when  it  simmers  add  the  lobster  and  half  the 


SO  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

crumbs.  Cook  slowly,  covered,  ten  minutes,  stirring  occasion- 
ally. Fill  pate-pans  or  scallop-shells  with  the  mixture,  put  a  bit 
of  butter  on  each,  cover  with  fine  crumbs  and  bake  to  a  light- 
brown.  Serve  in  the  shells,  hot.  Pass  sliced  lemon  and  crack- 
ers with  them. 

CREAMED  LOBSTER. 

Four  pounds  of  lobster-meat  cut  into  small  dice.  *  One  cup  of 
cream  and  one  of  milk.  White  roux  made  of  two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  butter,  heated,  with  two  of  flour,  and  cooked  smooth. 
Salt  and  cayenne  to  taste.  Fine  bread-crumbs.  A  pinch  of 
soda  in  the  milk.  Heat  milk  and  cream  together,  stir  in  roux 
and  seasoning  ;  add  the  lobster-meat  and  turn  into  a  buttered 
mould,  or  into  scallop-shells.  Cover  with  fine  crumbs  and 
brown  in  a  quick  oven. 

LOBSTER  CHOPS. 

Make  a  roux  by  frying  half  a  sliced  onion  and  a  little  chopped 
parsley  one  minute  in  a  tablespoonful  of  butter,  then  putting  in 
a  tablespoonful  of  flour  and  stirring  to  a  pale  brown.  Heat  a 
cupful  of  cream  or  rich  milk  in  another  vessel,  and  pour  gradu- 
ally upon  the  roux,  beating  smooth  as  you  go.  Season  two  cup- 
fuls  of  finely  chopped  lobster-meat  with  salt,  cayenne,  a  pinch  of 
mace  and  a  teaspoonful  of  lemon-juice.  Take  the  cream  from  the 
fire,  add  two  beaten  yolks,  heat  again  to  a  boil,  turn  into  a 
bowl,  mix  in  the  lobster  and  a  great  spoonful  of  fine  crumbs, 
and  set  aside  on  the  ice  to  get  cold  and  stiff.  When  it  is  of 
the  right  consistency,  make  into  the  form  of  mutton  chops,  dip 
into  whipped  egg,  then  into  cracker-dust,  and  leave  again  on  the 
ice  for  some  hours.  Fry  in  hot,  deep  cottolene.  Stick  a  claw 
in  the  small  end  of  each  chop. 

Serve  with  sauce-tartare  and  pass  deviled  crackers  with  it. 

LOBSTER  AND  OYSTER  RAGOUT. 

Eighteen  oysters.  Meat  of  one  large  boiled  lobster,  or  of  two 
small,  cut  into  inch  lengths.  Onion-juice  to  taste.  One  great 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  8 1 

spoonful  of  butter  for  frying ;  cayenne,  lemon-juice,  and  salt. 
Yolks  of  two  beaten  eggs.  One  small  glass  of  sherry.  One 
tablespoonful  of  butter,  cooked  to  a  brown  roux,  with  one  of 
flour. 

Heat  the  butter  in  a  frying-pan,  and  when  it  hisses  put 
in  the  lobster  dice,  upon  each  of  which  has  been  squeezed 
three  drops  of  onion-juice.  Saute  the  lobster  in  the  scalding 
butter  until  it  is  smoking  hot.  Drain  the  liquor  from  the 
oysters  and  heat  in  a  saucepan  while  the  lobster  is  cooking. 
When  the  liquor  boils,  strain  and  return  to  the  fire  with  the  oys- 
ters. Cook  two  minutes  after  the  boil  is  reached  ;  strain  out 
the  oysters,  arrange  the  fried  lobster  dice  in  a  deep  dish  and 
upon  them  the  oysters ;  cover  and  keep  hot  over  boiling  water 
while  you  reheat  the  oyster  liquor,  season  with  salt,  cayenne, 
lemon-juice,  and  parsley,  thicken  with  the  brown  roux,  and 
boil  up  once.  Take  from  the  range  and  pour,  a  few  spoonfuls  at 
a  time,  stirring  slowly,  upon  the  beaten  yolks.  At  the  very  last 
put  in  the  sherry,  and  do  not  put  back  upon  the  fire.  Turn 
out,  at  once,  upon  the  oysters  and  lobster,  and  serve. 

CURRIED  LOBSTER. 

Two  cups  of  lobster-dice.  Two  cups  of  weak  soup  stock. 
One  teaspoonful  of  minced  onion,  and  two  of  curry  powder. 
Saltspoonful  of  salt. 

Fry  the  onion  in  the  butter,  add  the  salt,  the  stock,  and  the 
curry,  and  cook  gently  for  five  minutes,  before  putting  in  the 
lobster.  Serve  as  soon  as  this  is  thoroughly  heated.  Pass  plain 
boiled  rice  with  this  dish. 

DEVILED   LOBSTER, 

Cut  into  pieces  as  large  as  an  oyster  and  coat  each  piece  with 
a  paste  made  of  a  tablespoonful  of  butter,  a  teaspoonful  of  cur- 
ry powder,  half  as  much  made  mustard,  half  a  teaspoonful  of 
Worcestershire  sauce,  and  a  little  salt,  worked  into  a  well-mixed 
sauce.  Heat  three  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  in  a  frying-pan  and 
saute  the  lobster  in  this. 
6 


82  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

CROQUETTES  OF  LOBSTER. 

Meat  of  one  fine  lobster,  well  boiled  ;  two  eggs ;  two  table  - 
spoonfuls  of  butter  ;  half  a  cupful  of  fine  bread-crumbs ;  one  tea- 
spoonful  of  anchovy  sauce,  yolks  of  two  eggs,  boiled  hard  and 
rubbed  to  a  powder,  then  beaten  into  the  butter ;  one  good  tea- 
spoonful  of  lemon-juice ;  season  well  with  salt  and  cayenne  pep- 
per ;  also,  a  pinch  of  mace  and  lemon-peel ;  yolks  of  two  raw 
eggs,  beaten  very  light.  Mince  the  meat,  work  in  the  butter, 
melted,  but  not  hot ;  then  the  seasoning,  the  raw  eggs,  and  lastly 
the  bread-crumbs.  Make  into  oblong  balls,  set  on  the  ice  for 
two  hours  and  fry  quickly  in  deep  cottolene.  Drain  them  of 
every  drop  of  fat  by  rolling  each,  for  an  instant,  very  lightly 
upon  a  hot,  clean  cloth.  Be  sure  your  dish  is  well  heated. 

Crab  croquettes  are  made  in  the  same  way. 

FRICASSEE  OF  LOBSTER  AND  MUSHROOMS. 

One  large  lobster,  cut  into  pieces  over  an  inch  long,  and  half 
as  wide.  Three  tablespoonfuls  of  brown  roux.  Two  cups  of 
veal  or  chicken  stock.  One  tablespoonful  of  corned  ham  minced 
fine.  One-half  onion  chopped.  Teaspoonful  of  minced  par- 
sley. Six  large  mushrooms  cut  into  quarters,  or  twelve  cham- 
pignons, cut  into  halves.  Paprica  and  salt.  A  liqueur  glass  of 
sherry. 

Heat  the  stock  with  the  ham,  seasoning,  and  onion.  Boil  ten 
minutes  and  strain  ;  thicken  with  the  roux,  put  in  the  pieces  of 
lobster  and  the  mushrooms,  and  cook  for  half  an  hour  in  a  sauce- 
pan set  within  a  vessel  of  boiling  water.  Add  the  sherry  after 
the  fricassee  is  turned  into  a  deep  dish. 

LOBSTER  A  LA  NEWBURG.   (No.  J.) 

Two  cups  of  lobster- dice,  and  the  same  of  cream.  Beaten 
yolks  of  three  eggs.  One  glass  of  sherry.  Half  teaspoonful  of 
salt,  and  a  dash  of  cayenne. 

Put  cream,  wine,  and  beaten  yolks  together  in  a  saucepan  over 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  83 

boiling  water  and  cook,  stirring  steadily  until  thick.     Add  the 
pieces  of  lobster,  let  them  get  smoking  hot,  season,  and  serve. 

This  is  the  simplest  form  (and  a  good  one)  of  this  fashionable 
and  popular  delicacy. 

LOBSTER  A  LA  NEWBURG.    (No.  2.) 

Meat  of  one  fine  boiled  lobster  cut  into  large  dice.  The 
pounded  yolks  of  two  eggs.  One  cupful  of  cream.  Two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  butter  and  one  scant  tablespoon ful  of  flour.  A  small 
glass  of  sherry.  Salt  to  taste,  a  pinch  of  mace,  a  dash  of  cayenne. 

Heat  the  butter  in  a  saucepan  and  when  just  melted,  stir  in  the 
flour  and  mix  well.  Rub  the  pounded  eggs  (which  should  be 
like  a  powder)  smooth  with  a  little  of  the  cream  and  stir  into  the 
flour  and  butter.  Let  it  get  hot ;  put  in  the  rest  of  the  cream, 
and  heat  to  scalding  in  a  saucepan  set  in  one  of  water  at  a  hard 
boil.  When  at  the  right  temperature,  put  in  the  rest  of  the  cream, 
and  when  this  heats,  the  lobster  and  the  seasoning,  all  except  the 
wine.  Toss  with  a  silver  fork  for  two  minutes,  add  the  wine  and 
serve. 

LOBSTER  A  LA  NEWBURG.    (No.  3.) 

Two  tablespoon fuls  of  butter.  One-and-a-half  cupfuls  of  lob- 
ster cut  into  inch  lengths  with  a  sharp  knife  ;  two  truffles  chopped 
fine  ;  cayenne  and  salt  to  taste.  One  cupful  of  cream.  Yolks  of 
two  eggs  beaten  light.  One  glass  of  sherry. 

Heat  the  butter  in  a  saucepan,  but  do  not  let  it  brown.  When 
it  begins  to  hiss  season  with  salt  and  pepper  and  put  in  the  lob- 
ster-dice and  truffles.  Cover  closely  and  set  in  a  vessel  of  boil- 
ing water  over  the  fire.  Heat  the  cream  in  another  vessel, 
dropping  in  a  bit  of  soda  to  prevent  curdling.  Take  from  the 
fire  and  mix  with  the  lobster,  add  the  wine  and  serve  at  once. 

LOBSTER  A  LA  BROCHETTE. 

Meat  of  one  fine  lobster  cut  into  clean  dice  with  a  keen  blade. 
Two  dozen  fresh  mushrooms.  Cayenne,  salt,  and  mace.  A 
dozen  slices  of  breakfast  bacon,  cut  as  thin  as  writing-paper. 


84  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

Rounds  of  toasted  bread.  Two  tablespoon fuls  of  butter ;  juice 
of  half  a  lemon  ;  minced  parsley. 

Sprinkle  the  pieces  of  lobster  with  salt,  cayenne,  and  mace  and 
string  them  upon  slender  skewers  alternately  with  the  mush- 
rooms, having  four  pieces  of  lobster  and  three  mushrooms  upon 
each  skewer.  Broil  over  clear  coals,  turning  the  skewers  often. 

Have  ready  the  bacon  broiled  clear ;  cut  the  toast  into  slender 
strips  over  an  inch  wide ;  lay  a  slice  of  bacon  upon  each  and  on 
the  bacon  a  skewer  of  lobster  and  mushrooms.  Spread  these 
last  with  a  sauce  of  the  butter  beaten  to  a  cream  with  the  lemon- 
juice  and  minced  parsley. 

FRIED  LOBSTER. 

Cut  the  meat  into  pieces  of  uniform  length,  roll  in  egg,  then 
in  fine  cracker-crumbs ;  set  in  a  cold  place  for  an  hour  and  fry 
in  boiling  fat  to  a  light  brown.  Pile  upon  a  hot  platter ;  gar- 
nish with  cresses  and  nasturtiums,  and  serve  with  this  sauce  : 
Beat  the  yolks  of  two  raw  eggs  to  a  cream  with  a  teaspoonful  of 
French  mustard,  one  of  sugar,  a  good  pinch  of  cayenne  and 
a  little  salt.  When  you  have  a  smooth  mixture,  add  half  a 
cupful  of  salad  oil,  gradually,  beating  steadily,  thinning,  as  you 
go  on,  with  lemon-juice.  Add  a  dash  of  onion -juice  and  a  table- 
spoonful  of  chopped  capers. 

LOBSTER  GUMBO. 

A  Creole  Dish. 

Two  pounds  of  lobster-meat  taken  from  the  shell  in  two  large 
pieces,  breaking  as  little  as  possible.  Two  teaspoonfuls  of  but- 
ter and  one  of  salad  oil.  A  tablespoonful  of  minced  onion. 
Three  fresh  tomatoes — large  and  ripe  ;  one  sweet  green  pepper  ; 
six  okra  pods;  cayenne  and  salt  to  taste;  one  cup  of  boiling 
water. 

Melt  the  butter  in  a  saucepan,  lay  in  the  lobster,  turn  over  to 
coat  it  thoroughly,  add  the  hot  water  and  stew  gently,  covered, 
half  an  hour.  Strain  from  the  meat,  which  should  be  kept  hot 
over  boiling  water  until  you  are  ready  for  it  again.  Heat  in  an- 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  85 

other  pan  the  oil,  minced  onion,  and  green  pepper,  the  sliced 
tomatoes  and  okras.  When  the  mixture  smokes  turn  in  the 
lobster-broth ;  simmer  half  an  hour,  rub  through  a  fine  colander 
and  stir  almost  dry  over  the  fire.  Turn  out  upon  a  hot  platter, 
lay  the  lobster  upon  this  bed,  and  serve. 

Pass  sliced  lemon  \\ith  it,  and  toasted  crackers. 

SOFT  SHELL  CRABS,  SAUTE. 

Take  off  the  fringe  or  loose  shell  found  under  the  side  points, 
also  the  sand-bag  found  under  the  shell  under  the  eyes ;  wash 
them  quickly,  salt  and  dust  with  cayenne  and  roll  in  salted  flour. 
Have  ready  some  hissing  hot  butter  in  a  frying-pan,  and  saute 
them,  turning  once  to  brown  the  upper  side. 

Or— 

You  may  roll  them  in  raw  egg,  then  in  peppered  and  salted 
cracker-dust,  and  fry  them. 

If  they  are  not  alive  when  you  are  ready  to  use  them,  throw 
them  away.  Keep  wrapped  in  wet  moss  or  sea- weed  in  the 
refrigerator  until  they  are  needed.  A  few  minutes,  uncovered, 
in  a  hot  kitchen  would  kill  them. 

BROILED  SOFT-SHELL  CRABS. 

Have  three  tablespoon fuls  of  butter  melted  in  a  deep  platter 
and  mix  with  it  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon  and  a  dash  of  cayenne. 
Sprinkle  salt  upon  the  cleaned  crabs,  roll  them  in  the  butter 
mixture,  drain  for  a  second  and  dredge  well  with  salted  flour. 
Cook  in  an  oyster  broiler  over  clear  coals. 

Serve  with  sauce  tartare. 

HARD  CRABS. 

Like  lobsters,  they  must  be  bought  alive  and  killed  just  be- 
fore they  are  cooked.  The  most  merciful  method  is  to  plunge 
them  head  downward  into  boiling  water.  The  first  plunge  kills 
them.  Cook  at  least  half  an  hour  in  salted  boiling  water. 


86  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


SCALLOPED  CRABS,  WITH  MUSHROOMS. 

Two  cupfuls  of  crab-meat  cut  into  dice.  One  dozen  fresh 
mushrooms.  One  cupful  of  milk.  Half  teaspoonful  of  onion- 
juice.  One  cupful  of  cream  or  rich  milk.  A  great  spoonful  of 
butter  and  a  smaller  one  of  flour.  Powdered  yolks  of  three 
hard-boiled  eggs.  Juice  of  half  a  lemon.  Half  cupful  of  fine 
crumbs.  Salt  and  cayenne. 

Cut  the  crabs  and  mushrooms  into  pieces  of  equal  size. 
Heat  the  butter  and  onion-juice  in  a  frying-pan  and  stir 
to  a  roux  with  the  flour.  Take  from  the  fire  and  work  into 
the  hot  cream  or  milk.  Season  with  salt  and  cayenne,  add 
the  yolks  and  the  crab-meat.  Lastly,  stir  in  the  mushrooms ; 
fill  the  crab-shells  or  scallop-shells  of  silver  or  china  with  the 
mixture;  sift  crumbs  on  top,  sticking  bits  of  butter  in  them, 
and  bake  in  a  quick  oven.  Squeeze  the  lemon-juice  over 
them  and  serve. 

A  CRAB  WELSH  RAREBIT. 

Make  a  white  roux  of  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  and  the  same  of 
flour.  When  hot  and  smooth,  add  four  tablespoonfuls  of  veal  or 
chicken  stock  gradually,  and  bring  again  to  the  boil.  Take 
from  the  fire,  pour  in  half  a  cupful  of  cream,  a  little  at  a  time 
(put  a  bit  of  soda  in  the  cream),  then  stir  in  a  cupful  of  crab 
dice,  less  than  half  an  inch  square  ;  simmer  in  hot  water  for 
ten  minutes,  add  two  tablespoonfuls  of  Parmesan  cheese,  cook 
one  minute,  lift  from  the  range  and  pour  in  two  tablespoonfuls 
of  sherry. 

Have  ready  in  a  flat  dish  rounds  of  bread  toasted  and  but- 
tered. Spread  the  smoking  crab  mixture  upon  them,  cover  with 
more  cheese,  set  upon  the  top  grating  of  a  hot  oven  three  min- 
utes to  melt  the  cheese,  and  serve. 

Eat  at  once. 

A  lobster  Welsh  Rarebit  may  be  made  in  the  same  way,  also 
one  of  halibut  and  of  chopped  shrimps. 


THE   NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  87 


DEVILED  CRABS. 

Two  cupfuls  of  crab-meat,  cut  small — not  chopped.  Two 
tablespoonfuls  of  butter,  one  of  flour,  and  a  level  teaspoonful  of 
mustard.  One  cupful  of  milk,  or  cream,  or  fish  stock.  Salt, 
cayenne,  and  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon.  Crumbs  and  butter. 
Heat  the  butter  and  stir  to  a  roux  with  the  flour  and  mustard. 
In  another  vessel  heat  the  milk,  and  mix  with  the  roux  when  it 
is  scalding  hot.  Cook  three  minutes,  turn  into  a  bowl,  add  the 
crab-meat,  salt,  pepper,  and  lemon-juice.  With  the  mixture  fill 
shells  or  pate-pans,  cover  with  crumbs  and  bits  of  butter  and 
bake  in  a  quick  oven. 

CRABS  AU  GRATIN. 

Two  cupfuls  of  crab-meat  cut  into  pieces  an  inch  long.  One 
tablespoonful  of  flour  and  a  larger  spoonful  of  butter.  One  cup- 
ful of  good  white  stock.  Half  a  cupful  of  cream.  One  table- 
spoonful  of  sherry.  Salt,  cayenne,  and  half  a  teaspoonful  of 
Worcestershire  sauce. 

Lay  the  crab-dice  in  a  deep  buttered  dish.  Heat  the  butter 
and  flour  to  a  roux,  and  when  smooth,  stir  in  the  hot  stock. 
Cook  three  minutes  and  work  into  it  the  cream,  which  should 
have  been  heated  with  a  bit  of  soda  not  larger  than  a  pea.  Sea- 
son and  pour  the  sauce  over  the  crab-meat.  Cover  with  cracker- 
dust,  sprinkle  this  with  paprica  and  bits  of  butter,  and  brown  in 
a  quick  oven. 

FRICASSEE  OF  CRABS. 

One  cupful  of  crab-meat,  picked  out  coarsely.  Yolks  of  three 
hard-boiled  eggs.  Two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  and  one  of  flour. 
Three  cupfuls  of  milk.  Juice  of  half  a  lemon.  Half  a  teaspoon- 
ful of  French  mustard.  Cayenne  and  salt  and  a  pinch  of  mace. 

Pound  the  yolks  to  a  powder,  and  work  into  them  the  butter, 
flour,  mustard,  salt,  pepper,  and  mace.  Heat  the  milk  to  a  boil, 
lift  from  the  fire  and  add,  gradually,  stirring  all  the  while,  to  the 
paste  just  made.  Stir  in  the  crab-meat ;  set,  covered,  in  boiling 


88  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

water  for  five  minutes,  stirring  often,  add  a  glass  of  sherry,  and 
pour  upon  thin  slices  of  peeled  lemon  in  a  deep  dish. 

COQUILLES  OF  SHRIMPS  A  LA  TORQUAY. 

One  cupful  of  milk  or  cream.  One  tablespoonful  of  butter  and 
one  of  flour.  Six  fresh  mushrooms  minced.  A  cupful  of  minced 
shrimps  or  prawns.  Salt,  cayenne,  cracker-crumbs,  and  butter- 
bits. 

Melt  the  butter,  rub  in  the  flour  when  the  butter  hisses,  and 
stir  two  minutes.  Take  from  the  fire  and  add  the  hot  milk, 
slowly.  Reheat  and  whip  steadily  in  a  bowl  for  two  minutes. 
Season  with  salt  and  cayenne ;  set  back  on  the  range  and  cook 
for  five  minutes  in  a  vessel  of  hot  water,  putting  in  your  egg  whip 
now  and  then  to  keep  it  smooth  and  light.  Stir  in  the  shrimps, 
let  the  mixture  come  to  a  boil,  cook  one  minute,  and  fill  buttered 
scallop  shells  with  it ;  sift  crumbs  on  top  ;  stick  bits  of  butter  in 
these  and  brown  in  a  quick  oven. 

STEWED  SHRIMPS. 

If  canned  shrimps  are  used,  rinse  them  in  cold  water  before 
they  are  cooked.  If  fresh,  take  off  the  shells,  taking  care  to  get 
the  fish  out  as  whole  as  possible. 

Heat  in  a  saucepan  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter,  and  when  it 
hisses,  add  a  cupful  of  shrimps.  Toss  with  a  silver  fork  to  coat 
them  well  with  the  butter,  and  when  they  are  heated  through,  add 
a  cupful  of  boiling  water  and  a  tablespoonful  of  tomato-catsup, 
with  a  teaspoonful  of  lemon-juice,  half  a  teaspoonful  of  sugar,  and 
a  pinch  of  cayenne.  Stew  gently  three  minutes  and  turn  them 
out.  Pass  toasted  crackers,  buttered,  with  them. 

DEVILED  SHRIMPS. 

Make  a  brown  roux  with  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  and  the 
same  of  browned  flour,  add  when  smooth  to  half  a  cupful  of  good 
stock  ;  stir  one  minute  and  put  in  a  large  cupful  of  minced 
shrimps,  the  yolks  of  two  hard-boiled  eggs,  rubbed  to  powder,  a 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  89 

saltspoonful  of  made  mustard,  a  pinch  of  cayenne,  a  few  drops 
of  onion-juice,  with  salt  to  taste.  Mix  well,  stir  over  the  fire  un- 
til smoking  hot,  and  fill  clam  or  scallop-shells  or  pate-pans  with 
the  mixture,  cover  with  fine  crumbs,  with  bits  of  butter  here 
and  there  and  brown  quickly. 

Send  around  sliced  lemon  with  them. 

CREAMED  SHRIMPS. 

One  can  of  shrimps,  two  tablespoon fuls  of  butter,  and  one  of, 
flour.     Two  cupfuls  of  milk.     Salt  and  cayenne  to  taste.     Pinch 
of  soda  in  the  milk. 

Make  a  roux  of  butter  and  flour,  and  when  smooth  stir  into 
the  hot  milk.  Cook  two  minutes,  add  the  shrimps,  season,  sim- 
mer until  smoking  hot,  and  turn  into  a  deep  dish.  You  can, 
if  you  like  a  richer  dish,  stir  in  a  beaten  egg  at  the  last.  The 
mixture  must  not  cook  after  it  goes  in. 

CURRIED  SHRIMPS. 

One  can  of  shrimps ;  one  tablespoonful  of  butter,  and  the 
same  of  flour ;  two  teaspoonfuls  of  curry  powder,  and  one  of 
Chutney  sauce  ;  two  cupfuls  of  boiling  water  ;  salt  to  taste  ;  one 
teaspoonful  of  minced  onion.  Cook  onion  and  butter  in  a  sauce- 
pan for  two  minutes  after  they  boil ;  add  flour  and  curry,  and 
when  they  bubble,  the  boiling  water  gradually,  stirring  all  the 
time.  Finally,  put  in  the  shrimps;  cook  five  minutes  and  serve 
in  a  hot- water  dish. 

Send  around  bananas,  ice-cold,  with  them,  and  boiled  rice. 

FRIED  FROGS'  LEGS. 

Only  the  hind-legs  are  eatable.  They  are  very  good,  having 
a  curious  resemblance  to  the  most  delicate  spring  chicken. 

Skin,  wash,  and  lay  in  milk  for  fifteen  minutes.  Without 
wiping  them,  pepper  and  salt,  and  coat  with  flour.  Fry  in  deep 
boiling  fat  to  a  light  brown. 

Or— 

Wipe  off  the  milk,  dip  in  egg  and  pounded  cracker,  and  fry. 


90  THE  NATIONAL  COOK  BOOK 

STEWED  FROGS'  LEGS. 

Skin,  lay  in  milk  for  fifteen  minutes  ;  roll  in  peppered  and 
salted  flour,  and  saute  in  hot  butter  for  three  minutes.  Cover 
(barely)  with  hot  water,  and  stew  tender.  Twenty  minutes 
should  suffice.  Heat  half  a  cupful  of  cream  to  boiling,  stir  in  a 
tablespoonful  of  butter  rolled  in  flour,  boil  up,  and  turn  into  the 
saucepan  where  the  frogs'  legs  are  simmering.  Season  with 
pepper,  salt,  and  a  little  chopped  parsley.  Cook  gently  for  three 
minutes  and  serve. 

FAMILIAR  TALK. 
WRINKLES  FOR  HOUSEKEEPERS. 

Not  the  care-lines  that  tell  of  work  and  worry.  These  are  not 
the  "  wrinkles  "  that  one  woman  wishes  to  receive  from  another. 
But  there  are,  to  use  another  expressive  bit  of  contemporary 
slang,  "tips" — fragments  of  practical  knowledge  accumulated 
by  every  woman  who  looks  well  to  the  ways  of  her  household — 
which  are  of  distinct  value  to  all  housekeepers.  Sometimes  they 
have  been  discovered  almost  by  accident,  at  other  times  they 
have  come  as  the  working  out  of  pet  theories.  Still  again  they 
may  have  been  hardly  acquired  after  many  failures  have  taught 
the  experimenter  how  not  to  do  it. 

Some  of  the  wrinkles  thus  gathered  may  be  old  and  familiar  to 
many  housekeepers.  To  others  they  may  be  entirely  fresh  and 
helpful. 

How  many  women  who  like  a  dainty  table  know,  for  instance, 
that  the  flavor  of  a  broiled  fish  is  rendered  richer  and  finer  if  the 
fish  is  laid  in  salad  oil  for  an  hour  before  it  is  cooked  ?  The  fish 
should  be  placed  on  a  flat  plate,  two  or  three  tablespoonfuls  of 
the  oil  poured  upon  it,  and  when  this  has  soaked  in  thoroughly 
the  fish  may  be  turned  over  and  the  other  side  treated  in  the 
same  fashion. 

This  same  expedient  of  steeping  in  salad  oil  adds  a  delicious 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  91 

flavor  to  the  cold  chicken  or  turkey  that  is  to  be  warmed  up  in  a 
cream  sauce.  If  the  sauce  is  flavored  with  a  suspicion  of  onion- 
juice  and  celery  salt,  the  result  is  an  appetizing  rechauffe  which 
has  been  aptly  compared  to  hot  chicken  salad. 

The  superiority  of  onion-juice  over  the  chopped  onion  so  often 
used  in  seasoning  is  manifest  to  all  who  have  tried  the  former. 
The  juice  may  be  procured  most  readily,  perhaps,  by  tearing  the 
onion  upon  a  vegetable  grater.  The  juice  quickly  trickles  from 
the  bottom  of  the  grater.  Or  the  onion  may  be  cut  in  half  and 
pressed  in  a  lemon-squeezer.  For  seasoning  minces,  hashes, 
Hamburg  steaks,  and  in  all  chafing-dish  concoctions,  the  onion- 
juice  is  invaluable. 

Welcome  to  those  who  enjoy  soft-shell  crabs,  but  object  to  the 
odor  of  the  frying  fat  that  usually  accompanies  their  cookery, 
should  be  the  "  tip  "  that  the  crabs  may  be  broiled,  instead  of 
fried,  and  that  the  flavor  is  the  same  whichever  of  the  two  ways 
they  are  cooked.  The  crab  should  be  cleaned,  dipped  in  olive 
oil,  laid  on  the  gridiron  over  a  bed  of  broiling-coals,  and  cooked 
until  the  outside  is  red-brown,  the  meat  white  and  tender. 

Another  "  wrinkle  "  worth  knowing  is  that  vinegar  added  to 
the  water  in  which  fish  is  boiled  will  make  the  fish  firmer  and  im- 
prove its  flavor,  while  when  it  is  put  into  the  water  in  which  meat 
or  poultry  is  stewing  it  will  make  the  flesh  more  tender.  The 
proportion  varies  a  little.  A  tablespoonful  is  enough  for  the  fish, 
while  twice  that  quantity  may  safely  be  used  for  the  meat.  It 
expedites  the  boiling  of  tough  poultry. 

Of  great  help  to  the  woman  who  wishes  to  broil  steak  or  chops, 
when  she  is  baking  bread  or  cake,  is  the  knowledge  that  she  can 
do  this  without  cooling  her  ovens  by  uncovering  the  top  of  the 
stove.  With  proper  care  meats  may  be  broiled — not  fried — in  a 
frying-pan  so  that  they  will  be  quite  as  juicy  and  nutritious  as 
though  they  had  been  grilled  over  the  coals.  The  mode  of  cook- 
ing is  simple.  The  frying-pan  should  be  put  on  the  stove  until 
it  is  hissing  hot.  If  the  meat  has  very  little  fat  on  it,  the  pan 
may  be  rubbed  lightly  with  a  bit  of  butter  no  larger  than  a  hick- 
ory nut.  This  is  to  keep  the  meat  from  sticking  when  it  first 


92  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

goes  in.  The  pan  should  be  so  hot  that  the  albumen  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  meat  will  coagulate  the  moment  it  touches  the  pan. 
By  this  the  juices  are  sealed  in  the  meat,  and  this  may  be  turned 
and  cooked  in  the  pan  as  it  would  be  on  the  gridiron  until  it  is 
done  to  suit  the  taste  of  the  eaters.  Fish  may  be  broiled  in  the 
oven,  if  this  is  very  hot,  nearly  as  well  as  over  the  fire.  Both 
with  fish  and  meat  the  after-treatment  should  be  the  same — a 
transfer  to  a  hot  platter  and  plentiful  basting  with  butter.  An 
added  savoriness  may  be  given  by  rubbing  the  platter  with  onion 
or  with  garlic,  and  working  minced  parsley  into  the  butter  used 
in  basting. 

Garlic,  so  much  dreaded  by  those  who  have  used  it  too  much 
or  not  at  all,  is  a  valuable  article  when  employed  in  moderation. 
It  cannot  be  handled  as  carelessly  as  onion,  but  if  it  is  rubbed 
on  the  inside  of  a  salad-bowl,  or  of  the  dish  in  which  the  salad 
dressing  is  mixed,  its  flavor  will  be  found  both  delicate  and 
delicious. 

The  problem  of  how  to  whip  cream  without  changing  it  into 
butter  is  one  that  has  troubled  many  housekeepers  who  like  this 
simple  and  popular  sauce  for  puddings  and  fruit.  The  secret  of 
success  is  to  have  the  cream-churn  (which  may  be  a  glass  egg- 
beater)  and  the  cream  ice  cold.  One  excellent  cook  always  fills 
her  cream-churn  with  ice,  and  puts  it  in  the  refrigerator  for  half 
an  hour  or  more  before  using,  while  the  cream  too  is  kept  on  the 
ice.  Given  sweet,  rich  cream,  the  whipping  under  these  circum- 
stances cannot  fail  to  be  successful.  In  the  same  coldness  of 
utensils  and  ingredients  lies  the  secret  of  a  quickly  mixed  mayon- 
naise. 

In  cooking  cream  or  milk  the  danger  of  curdling  is  much  re- 
duced if  a  pinch  of  soda  the  size  of  a  pea  is  added.  There  is 
also  risk  of  curdling  milk  if  it  is  salted  when  put  over  the  fire. 
The  salt  should  go  in  the  last  thing. 

When  greasing  pans  for  cakes  or  muffins,  or  a  griddle  for  frying 
cakes,  it  is  a  common  mistake  to  use  too  much  fat.  The  greasy 
crust  that  means  an  attack  of  indigestion  for  the  person  who  eats 
it  may  be  avoided  if  a  flat  paint-brush  is  dipped  into  melted  fat, 


\  "• 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  93 

and  the  pan  lightly  brushed  with  this.  It  has  the  added  merit 
of  reaching  the  cracks  and  corners  that  sometimes  escape  the 
touch  of  the  time-honored  greased  paper  or  cloth,  which  coats 
the  cook's  fingers  more  effectually  than  the  pan  to  which  it  is 
applied. 

There  are  many  other  "  wrinkles  "  of  more  or  less  value.  As, 
for  instance,  the  fact  that  vinegar  will  restore  the  color  of  hands 
white  and  sodden  from  dish-washing,  that  the  fumes  from  a  freshly 
lighted  sulphur  match  will  take  the  stains  of  berries  from  the 
finger-tips  and  nails  if  used  before  they  have  been  washed  with 
soap,  that  boiling  in  buttermilk  will  sometimes  take  out  mildew 
when  everything  else  fails,  that  chlorinated  soda  will  remove  ink- 
spots  from  white  cotton  or  linen  goods  without  injuring  the 
fabric,  that  Benares  brass  should  be  cleansed  with  a  soft  cloth 
dipped  in  lemon-juice  and  brightened  with  chamois-skin,  that 
the  tarnish  is  most  easily  removed  from  silver  if  the  flannel  used 
in  cleaning  is  moistened  with  alcohol  before  being  dipped  into 
the  silicon  and  rubbed  on  the  silver,  that  silver  keeps  bright  for 
a  long  time  if  each  piece  is  wrapped  in  fine  white  tissue-paper. 
One  might  go  on  indefinitely  were  it  not  that  space  and  a 
reader's  patience  have  limits. 

C.  T.  H. 


MEATS. 

As  a  nation  we  eat  too  much  meat,  and  spend  too  much 
money  for  the  quantity  we  use.  The  provincial  butcher  who 
told  a  customer  that  she  would  better  buy  from  somebody  else  if 
she  would  have  choice  cuts  every  day,  had  hold  of  one  thread  of 
a  common-sensible  fact,  although  he  could  not  state  it  even  to 
himself.  What  are  known  as  second-best  portions,  not  because 
of  freshness  or  sweetness,  but  on  account  of  their  location  upon 
the  body  of  the  slain  beast,  have  capabilities  never  suspected  by 
the  Average  Cook.  A  very  low  order  of  culinary  skill  may  suffice 
to  make  tolerably  palatable  and  masticable  a  tender  fillet,  or 
chop,  or  rib-roast,  even  a  beefsteak  of  prime  quality.  Unfort- 
unately, these  usually  set  forth  rich  men's  tables  and  are  handled 
by  first-class  cooks.  Culinary  genius  and  much  experience  are 
needed  to  make  tough  meats  tender,  yet  nutritious,  and  to  con- 
coct dainty  entrees  out  of  coarse  bits  that  are  uneatable  if  treated 
according  to  the  Average  Cook's  faith  and  practice. 

A  few  general  rules  are  needful  as  a  foundation  for  the  more 
explicit  instructions  which  are  to  follow. 

The  darker  meats,  such  as  beef,  mutton,  venison  and  wild 
ducks,  are  wholesome  and  digestible  if  cooked  to  the  "  rare  " — 
which  is  not  the  raw — point.  All  white  meats — chicken,  veal, 
turkey,  pork,  etc.,  must  be  well  done,  or  they  are  unpalatable, 
indigestible,  and  to  people  who  are  used  to  good  cookery,  dis- 
gusting. 

The  secret  of  making  tough  meat  tender  is  slow  and  steady 
cooking,  especially  braising,  boiling,  and  stewing.  It  was  the 
boast  of  a  celebrated  chef  that  he  could  make  lignum  vitae 
tender,  if  he  were  given  all  the  time  he  asked.  The  heat  should 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  95 

be  low,  but  steady.  The  toughest  fowl  can  be  reduced  to  tooth- 
some tenderness  if  steamed  in  a  close  kettle,  or  boiled,  or 
braised  in  a  covered  roaster  several  hours.  It  should  not  reach 
the  boil  under  one  hour,  and  must  never  be  allowed  to  cook 
briskly,  from  post  to  finish. 

The  first  step  in  roasting  meats  is  to  make  a  close  coating  on 
the  outside  that  will  exclude  air  and  keep  in  juices.  This  may 
be  done  by  dashing  a  little  boiling  water  over  it,  as  it  goes  into 
the  oven,  or  setting  for  ten  minutes  in  a  hot  oven,  then,  remov- 
ing to  a  slower.  Chops  and  steaks  may  be  similarly  encased  by 
holding  the  gridiron  over  a  fierce  fire  for  a  few  minutes,  then 
broiling  more  deliberately.  Fowls  that  are  to  be  fricasseed  are 
kept  juicy  by  frying  in  boiling  fat  for  a  few  minutes,  then  laid 
in  a  pot  and  covered  with  cold  water. 

Do  not  corn  meat  by  seasoning  it  before  it  goes  into  the  oven 
or  frying-pan,  or  upon  the  gridiron,  or  into  the  saucepan.  You 
will  draw  the  juices  out,  instead  of  retaining  them,  and  harden 
the  fibres. 

BEEF* 

RIB  ROAST  OF  BEEF. 

Wipe  with  a  clean  cloth,  but  do  not  wash  it.  Dash  a  cupful 
of  boiling  water  over  it  to  sear  the  surface,  dredge  with  flour 
to  make  a  yet  more  impervious  coating,  and  set  upon  the  grating 
of  your  roaster.  Cook  fast  for  fifteen  minutes,  then  change  to  a 
slower  oven  or  draw  off  the  heat  by  means  of  dampers.  If  you 
have  a  covered  roaster  (as  you  should  have),  there  is  no  need  of 
basting  more  than  twice  during  the  roasting ;  otherwise,  baste 
every  two  minutes  with  the  juice  that  drips  from  the  meat. 
Roast  ten  minutes  to  the  pound.  Fifteen  minutes  before  the 
meat  is  taken  up,  open  the  valve  of  the  roaster,  wash  the  meat 
over  with  butter,  dredge  with  flour,  and  leave  the  valve  open  to 
brown  the  roast. 

Serve  with  horse-radish  sauce,  or  mustard,  and  as  the  red 
juice  (the  "dish-gravy")  follows  the  carving  knife,  put  a  little 


96  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

upon  each  slice  when  laid  upon  a  plate.  It  is  no  longer  the 
custom  upon  well-served  tables  to  send  in  made  gravy  with  roast 
meat,  and  few  educated  palates  tolerate  it.  Set  the  gravy  from 
the  pan  aside  in  a  bowl.  The  fat  that  forms  upon  the  surface 
will  make  excellent  dripping,  and  the  lower  stratum  can  be  util- 
ized in  soup-stock. 

ROLLED  ROAST  OF  BEEF. 

If  your  butcher  has  not  done  it  for  you,  remove  the  ribs,  and 
roll  up  the  meat,  the  thicker  part  in  the  centre,  bind  into  a  round 
with  stout  twine,  secure  the  outer  flap  with  a  couple  of  skewers, 
and  proceed  as  with  the  rib  roast.  When  it  is  cooked,  clip  the 
string  and  withdraw  carefully,  but  leave  the  skewers  in  to  keep 
the  meat  in  shape. 

Carve  horizontally. 

BRAISED  ROUND  OF  BEEF, 

This  is  a  pleasing  variation  of  the  "  pot-roast  "  of  our  grand- 
mothers, and  is  an  admirable  way  of  cooking  a  tough  piece  of 
beef. 

Chop  a  carrot,  a  turnip,  an  onion,  and  a  stalk  of  celery 
coarsely  and  lay  half  of  them  in  the  bottom  of  your  roaster. 
Place  the  meat  upon  them,  dash  a  large  cupful  of  boiling  water 
over  all,  dredge  the  meat  with  flour  and  set,  uncovered,  in  a  hot 
oven  for  twenty  minutes  to  brown.  Mask  now  with  the  reserved 
vegetables,  cover  closely  and  cook  very  slowly  twenty-five  min- 
utes to  each  pound,  basting  four  times. 

Take  up  the  meat,  sprinkle  with  salt  and  pepper  and  keep  hot, 
rub  the  gravy  left  in  the  pan  through  a  colander,  season  to  taste, 
stir  in  a  tablespoonful  of  browned  flour  and  half  a  teaspoonful  of 
French  mustard,  boil  up  once  ;  pour  a  few  spoonfuls  over  the 
meat,  and  send  in  the  rest  in  a  gravy-boat. 

BRAISED  BEEF,  A  LA  JARDINIERE. 

Cook  as  directed  in  the  foregoing  recipe.  Have  ready  when 
the  meat  comes  from  the  fire  and  the  sauce  has  been  made,  a 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  9/ 

cupful  of  green  peas,  or  of  string-beans,  cut  into  short  pieces,  or 
Lima  beans;  the  same  quantity  of  potatoes  cut  into  dice  and 
boiled  tender ;  a  cooked  carrot  and  turnip  cut  into  dice,  a  dozen 
button  onions,  boiled,  and  six  tomatoes  of  uniform  size,  baked 
whole  in  their  skins,  or  stuffed  and  then  baked. 

Arrange  these  vegetables  in  small  heaps  around  the  meat  as  it 
lies  on  the  dish,  each  kind  by  itself,  and  the  color  contrasting 
agreeably  with  the  next  pile.  Pour  some  spoonfuls  of  sauce  over 
them  and  the  meat,  and  serve.  In  carving  help  out  at  least  two 
kinds  of  vegetables  with  each  portion  of  beef. 

ROLLED  BEEFSTEAK  (BRAISED). 

A  tough  steak  may  be  brought  to  tender  terms  in  this  way : 
Make  a  forcemeat  of  crumbs,  butter  or  bits  of  suet,  if  you 
have  them,  pepper  and  salt.  A  fresh  tomato,  minced,  is  an  im- 
provement. Cover  the  steak  with  this,  roll  it  up  and  secure  into 
a  "  stumpy  "  cylinder  with  stout  cord  and  a  skewer.  Lay  it  in 
your  bake-pan,  or  a  pot  on  the  top  of  the  stove,  upon  a  pallet  of 
vegetables,  such  as  is  described  in  the  recipe  for  braised  round  of 
beef;  add  a  cupful  of  stock  or  water,  cover  closely  and  cook 
twenty  minutes  to  the  pound.  Take  out  the  meat,  strain  and 
rub  the  gravy  through  a  colander ;  season  and  boil  up,  before 
pouring  it  over  the  steak.  Cut  the  strings  and  withdraw  them, 
but  do  not  remove  the  skewer. 

You  may,  if  you  like,  omit  the  stuffing,  but  the  meat  will  be  less 
savory. 

ROAST  BEEF  WITH  YORKSHIRE  PUDDING. 

One  pint  of  milk  ;  two  eggs  ;  two  cups  of  prepared  flour,  or,  if 
you  use  plain  flour,  add  an  even  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  baking 
powder.  One  teaspoonful  of  salt. 

Roast  the  beef  in  the  usual  way  and  when  nearly  done,  take 
out  four  or  five  tablespoonfuls  of  dripping  from  the  roaster  and 
put  them  into  a  bake-pan,  which  keep  warm  until  the  pudding 
is  ready.  Sift  salt  and  baking  powder  twice  with  the  flour  ;  beat 
the  eggs  very  light,  add  them  to  the  milk  and  pour  this  upon  the 
7 


98  THE   NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

flour,  stirring  swiftly  and  lightly  with  a  wooden  spoon.  Heat 
the  dripping  to  hissing,  pour  in  the  batter  and  bake  quickly. 
Cut  into  oblong  pieces  and  lay  about  the  beef  in  the  dish,  like  a 
garnish. 

BEEF  A  LA  MODE. 

For  this  dish  you  will  require  a  piece  of  beef  from  the  round, 
free  from  sinews  or  gristle,  and  compact  in  character.  It  is  much 
easier  to  prepare  a  large  piece  of  beef  a  la  mode  satisfactorily 
than  a  smaller  cut,  and  nothing  less  than  seven  or  eight  pounds 
should  be  selected.  Ten,  twelve,  and  even  fourteen  pound  pieces 
may  be  used  with  good  results.  Direct  your  butcher  to  "  plug  " 
the  beef  with  strips  of  salt  pork.  Or  you  may  do  this  yourself 
with  the  aid  of  a  larding-needle,  or  a  long,  sharp,  narrow-bladed 
carving-knife.  Pierce  the  beef  with  this  from  top  to  bottom,  and 
draw  through  the  hole  thus  made  a  strip  of  fat  salt  pork  about 
the  thickness  of  your  middle  finger,  and  long  enough  to  project 
about  half  an  inch  each  side  of  the  beef.  These  lardoons  should 
be  about  two  inches'apart.  Between  them  make  deep  incisions, 
and  fill  these  with  a  forcemeat  composed  of  bread-crumbs  and 
finely  minced  pork,  in  the  proportion  of  one  part  of  the  pork  to 
two  of  the  bread-crumbs.  Season  this  highly  with  pepper,  all- 
spice, minced  parsley,  thyme,  and  sweet-marjoram,  and  moisten 
with  vinegar  and  a  little  Worcestershire  sauce.  Cram  the  holes 
to  overflowing  with  this  mixture,  and  crowd  it  into  all  crevices 
and  interstices  of  the  meat.  Bind  a  stout  piece  of  muslin  around 
the  sides  of  the  beef,  to  keep  the  round  in  shape,  and  then  lay  it 
in  a  broad  pot,  cover  it  with  cold  water,  and  strew  over  it  a 
minced  onion,  a  sliced  cartot,  a  bay-leaf,  six  cloves,  a  couple  of 
blades  of  mace,  a  few  sprigs  of  pa  sley  and  of  celery-tops.  Cook 
the  meat  very  slowly,  fifteen  minutes  to  the  pound.  It  should  be 
tender  enough  to  be  pierced  easily  with  a  fork  when  it  is  done. 
Let  it  cool  in  the  water,  take  it  out,  lay  it  between  two  flat  sur- 
faces, under  a  heavy  weight^ ?  Jo  not  take  off  the  cotton  band 

until  just  before  it  goes  to  the  table.  If  properly  prepared,  it 
will  show  a  prettily  mottled  surface  when  sliced  across  with  a 
sharp  knife,  and  will  be  an  attractive  as  well  as  a  delicious  dish. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  99 

FILLET  OF  BEEF 

may  be  roasted  plain,  or  larded  with  strips  of  fat  salt  pork  and 
braised,  as  directed  in  the  foregoing  recipes. 

BROILED  BEEFSTEAK. 

Speaking  by  the  card,  there  is  but  one  way  of  cooking  a  first- 
class  beefsteak,  and  that  is  by  broiling.  It  may  be  said  with 
equal  positiveness  that  a  steak  should  always  be  cut  more  than 
one  inch  thick.  An  inch-and-a-half  is  better  than  an  inch. 

Grease  the  broiler  well  with  beef-suet,  or  butter.  You  may 
also  rub  it  with  a  raw  onion.  Lay  the  beefsteak  upon  it  and 
hold  close  to  the  coals  for  one  minute,  turn  the  broiler  and  hold 
the  other  side  in  the  same  way,  to  cauterize  the  surface  and  hold 
back  the  juices.  Now  withdraw  to  the  top  of  the  range  and  cook 
over  clear  coals,  the  lids  having  been  removed  for  this  purpose — 
from  fifteen  to  seventeen  minutes.  The  time  will  depend  upon 
the  thickness  of  the  steak  and  the  strength  of  the  fire. 

Transfer  to  a  hot  dish,  salt  and  pepper,  rub  all  over  on  both 
sides  with  butter,  or  butter  and  lemon-juice,  and  cover  for  one 
minute  before  it  goes  to  the  table.  Tough  or  doubtful  steaks  are 
improved  by  letting  them  lie  in  olive  oil  and  a  little  vinegar  for 
two  hours  before  they  are  cooked. 

MIGNON  FILLETS 

are  cut  from  the  end  of  the  fillet  or  tenderloin.  Broil  when  you 
have  trimmed  them  neatly,  salt,  pepper,  and  butter,  or  cover 
with  a  sauce  of  butter,  lemon-juice,  and  chopped  parsley. 

CHATEAUBRIAND  STEAK  WITH  MUSHROOMS. 

What  often  passes  upon  Freu^u  restaurant  menus  and  some- 
times at  state  breakfasts  for  this  elegant  dish,  which-  should  be 
cut  from  the  heart  of  the  fillet,  is  only  a  prime  tenderloin  steak, 
trimmed  into  shape.  The  real  and  the  imitation  articles  are 


100  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

alike  broiled  as  directed  in  recipe  for  broiled  beefsteak,  served 
upon  a  hot  dish  seasoned  and  plentifully  buttered. 

An  added  touch  of  deliciousness  and  elegance  is  imparted 
by  broiling  a  dozen  or  so  fine  fresh  mushrooms  (peeled  and 
trimmed),  and  arranging  them  upon  the  steak.  It  then  becomes 
a  dish  fit  for  a  king. 

BEEFSTEAK  AND  ONIONS, 

While  your  steak  is  in  broiling  have  two  large,  or  three  small 
onions  sliced  very  thin  and  fried  lightly  in  butter.  When  the 
steak  has  been  dished,  seasoned,  and  buttered,  cover  with  the 
fried  onions  and  let  all  stand,  closely  covered,  for  five  minutes 
over  hot  water  to  draw  the  meat-juices  toward  the  onions  and 
the  flavor  of  the  onions  into  the  meat. 

RUTH  PINCH'S  BEEFSTEAK  PUDDING. 

Cut  the  steak  into  strips  an  inch  long  and  less  than  half  as 
wide,  put  over  the  fire  in  a  saucepan,  cover  closely,  set  within 
another  of  cold  water  and  bring  the  water  slowly  to  a  boil.  Let 
the  meat  get  cold  before  opening  the  inner  saucepan.  Butter  a 
baking-dish  well,  and  line  with  strips  of  good  crust  put  in  the 
meat,  seasoning  with  pepper,  salt,  and  a  few  drops  of  onion-juice 
and  dredging  with  browned  flour  from  time  to  time.  When  you 
have  a  layer  an  inch  or  more  deep,  cover  with  other  thin  strips 
of  crust,  then  more  meat,  seasoning,  and  flour,  until  the  dish  is 
full,  when  pour  in  the  juice  from  the  meat  and  a  cupful  of  cold 
water.  Cover  then  with  a  top-crust  and  bake  in  a  moderate 
oven  three-quarters  of  an  hour.  Serve  in  the  dish. 

BEEF  STEW. 

Cut  up  two  pounds  of  beef — the  coarser  pieces  will  do — into 
inch  lengths  and  saute  in  two  tablespoonfuls  of  dripping  in  which 
a  sliced  onion  has  been  already  fried.  Cover  with  cold  water, 
then  set  at  the  side  of  the  range  and  simmer  until  the  meat  can 
be  broken  up  with  a  fork.  Set  away  in  a  covered  vessel  for  five 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  IOI 

or  six  hours,  or  all  night.  Take  off  the  fat  an  hour  before  you 
wish  to  use  the  stew,  add  a  teaspoonful,  each,  of  summer  savory 
and  sweet  marjoram,  a  little  chopped  onion  and  parsley,  and  bring 
to  a  steady  boil.  Stir  in  now,  a  tablespoonful  of  tomato  catsup, 
and  a  generous  tablespoonful  of  browned  flour,  a  level  teaspoon- 
ful of  allspice,  wet  up  with  cold  water,  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon, 
and  half  a  teaspoonful  of  Worcestershire  sauce.  Boil  up  sharp- 
ly, turn  in  a  glass  of  brown  sherry  and  you  have  an  excellent  and 
inexpensive  breakfast  or  luncheon  dish.  Provided,  always,  that 
the  recipe  is  followed  faithfully  and  that  you  have  yourself  a 
just  taste  for  flavoring. 

CURRIED  ROAST  BEEF, 

Cut  two  cups  cold  roast  beef  into  small  bits,  put  a  large  piece 
of  butter  into  a  saucepan,  and  lay  in  it  the  meat  and  two  onions, 
sliced  v£ry  thin.  Brown  for  five  minutes,  add  one  cupful  of 
boiling  water  and  one  dessertspoonful  of  curry  powder.  Let 
this  simmer  for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes.  Line  an  earthen  vege- 
table dish  with  boiled  rice  and  pour  the  curried  beef  into  it. 
Serve  hot. 

HAMBURG  STEAKS. 

To  one  pound  of  lean  beef,  chopped  twice  and  rid  of  every  bit 
of  fibre  and  gristle,  allow  one  beaten  egg,  one  teaspoonful  of 
onion -juice,  half  as  much  salt,  a  fourth  as  much  paprica,  and  a 
pinch  of  ground  mace.  Mix  well. 

Mould  into  flat  cakes,  dredge  them  with  salted  flour,  set  in  a 
cold  place  for  one  hour,  roll  again  in  flour  and  saute  them  in 
good  dripping  or  butter. 

They  can  be  also  made  of  rare  roast  beef. 

HASH  CAKES. 

Chop  underdone  roast  beef  fine  and  mix  with  one-third  as 
much  smoothly  mashed  potato.  Season  to  taste  with  pepper,  salt, 
and  mustard.  Knead  lightly,  and  when  the  ingredients  are  well 
incorporated,  work  in  a  beaten  egg  to  bind  the  mixture.  Set 


102  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

aside  to  cool  and  stiffen.  When  ready  to  cook  them,  roll  them 
in  beaten  egg  and  cracker-dust,  leave  them  in  a  cold  place  again 
for  an  hour  or  so,  and  fry  in  boiling  dripping.  Serve  dry. 

MINCE  OF  BEEF  AND  POTATO, 

Chop  under-done  and  well-done  beef  together,  season  with 
pepper,  salt,  a  few  drops  of  onion-juice  and  with  mustard,  and 
mix  with  one-third  as  much  mashed  potato  as  you  have  beef. 
Heat  in  a  frying-pan  a  cupful  of  stock  of  any  kind,  except  fish, 
for  every  two  cupfuls  of  meat  and  potato,  and  when  it  boils  stir 
in  the  beef  mixture  thoroughly,  scraping  from  side  to  side 
toward  the  middle  until  the  contents  of  the  pan  bubble  all  over 
the  surface.  It  should  be  soft  enough  to  pour  out  into  a  hot- 
water  dish. 

Edge  with  sippets,  i.e.,  triangles  of  fried  bread. 

If  you  have  no  stock,  use  boiling  water  with  a  generous  spoon- 
ful of  butter  heated  in  it  before  the  rest  of  the  ingredients  are 
added.  A  little  strained  tomato  sauce  or  a  teaspoonful  of  tomato 
makes  the  mince  more  piquant. 

CORNED  BEEF. 

Wash  thoroughly,  and  if  very  salt  leave  in  cold  water  for  one 
hour.  Put  over  a  moderate  fire,  or  at  the  side  of  the  range,  in 
enough  cold  water  to  cover  it  deeply.  If  you  mean  to  use  the 
liquor  for  soup,  fill  the  pot  with  water  and  cut  up  in  it  half  an 
onion,  a  carrot,  and  a  small  turnip.  Cook  slowly  half  an 
hour  to  each  pound,  and  when  done,  let  it  stand  in  the  liquor 
for  at  least  fifteen  minutes.  Scrape  the  top  of  the  meat  and 
trim  off  the  ragged  edges.  Serve  with  a  white  sauce  made  by 
straining  through  a  cloth  a  cupful  of  the  "pot  liquor"  and 
thickening  it  with  a  white  roux,  then  stirring  in  a  tablespoon- 
ful  of  capers  or  chopped  pickles. 

When  dinner  is  over,  cover  the  beef  with  a  flat  plate,  and  lay 
a  heavy  weight  upon  this,  to  press  the  meat. 

Corned  beef  is  best  cold  or  made  into  hash.  There  is  a  grow- 
ing dislike  to  it  when  served  hot. 


THE   NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  1 03 

While  the  round  is  considered  the  choice  cut,  the  brisket,  or 
the  "  plate,"  pro perly  cooked  is  less  solid  and  sweeter,  and  makes 
a  good  family  dinner  dish. 

CORNED  BEEF  AND  DUMPLINGS  - 

Wash  the  beef  thoroughly,  and  let  it  lie  in  cold  water  fifteen 
or  twenty  minutes.  Plunge  then  into  a  pot  of  boiling  water,  and 
plenty  of  it,  that  every  part  of  the  meat  may  be  covered.  Cook 
steadily,  never  intermitting  the  boil,  fifteen  minutes  for  each 
pound  of  beef,  after  the  boil  recommences.  When  the  meat  is 
done,  take  it  out  and  cover  to  keep  warm.  Strain  the  liquor 
through  a  coarse  cloth  and  return  to  the  pot,  keeping  out  a  cup- 
ful for  drawn  butter.  When  it  again  begins  to  boil,  put  in  the 
dumplings  and  cook  fifteen  minutes.  Take  these  up  with  a  split 
spoon,  and  arrange  about  the  beef  when  dished. 

For  dumplings : — One  cupful  of  flour,  mixed  with  a  heaping 
tablespoonful  of  corn-meal,  one  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  baking 
powder,  one  teaspoonful  of  cottolene,  one  saltspoonful  of  salt.  Sift 
the  powder  and  salt  through  flour  and  meal  three  times.  Chop  in 
the  shortening,  and  stir  in  very  cold  water  until  a  soft  dough  is 
obtained.  Cut  into  rounds  with  a  small  tumbler,  or  top  of 
pepper-box.  They  should  puff  out  like  balls  in  boiling.  For 
drawn  butter  :  Heat  the  cupful  of  reserved  pot-liquor  to  a  boil  ; 
stir  in  a  heaping  teaspoonful  of  butter,  and  thicken  with  one  of 
flour  wet  with  cold  water.  Add,  just  before  taking  from  the 
fire,  a  tablespoonful  of  chopped  green  pickle,  and  half  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  made  mustard.  Send  to  table  in  a  gravy-bowl. 

TO  CORN  BEEF. 

Rub  hard  on  all  sides  with  a  mixture  of  nine  parts  of  salt  to 
one  of  saltpetre,  until  the  meat  will  take  no  more  and  the  salt 
lies  dry  upon  it.  Repeat  this  rubbing  daily  for  three  days,  keep- 
ing the  meat  in  a  cold  place.  On  the  fourth  day  wipe  each 
piece  dry  and  clean,  and  put  into  pickle. 

For  the  pickle  mix  five  gallons  of  water,  one  gallon  of  salt, 
four  ounces  of  saltpetre  and  one  and  a-half  pounds  of  brown 


104  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

sugar;  boil  ten  minutes,  let  it  get  perfectly  cold;  pack  down 
the  beef,  and  pour  the  pickle  over  the  top. 

Look  at  your  meat  every  week  to  see  if  it  is  keeping  well. 
If  not,  wipe  clean,  rinse  with  clear  water,  rub  in  dry  salt,  and 
put  into  other  and  stronger  pickle. 

This  is  an  Old  Virginia  plantation  recipe  and  warranted 
good. 

PRESSED  CORNED  BEEF. 

Select  a  firm  piece  for  this  purpose.  The  brisket  is  good,  or 
for  those  who  like  a  streak  of  fat  and  a  streak  of  lean,  the  plate- 
piece  is  excellent,  but  this  must  be  chosen  carefully.  Tie  the 
meat  tightly  in  a  piece  of  cotton  cloth  that  has  been  shrunk, 
making  the  beef  take  the  shape  you  wish  it  to  have  when  cold. 
Lay  it  in  a  pot  and«cover  it  with  cold  water,  and  put  into  this  a 
stalk  of  celery,  half  a  carrot  sliced,  a  sliced  turnip,  an  onion, 
and  a  few  cabbage-leaves.  Let  the  meat  simmer  gently.  The 
time  of  cooking  will  depend  upon  the  size  of  the  piece  of  beef. 
Six  pounds  will  require  between  four  and  five  hours'  cooking, 
but  it  must  be  very  slow  boiling — only  the  quietest  of  bubbling 
at  the  side  of  the  pot.  A  hard  galloping  boil  will  cook  the 
taste  out  of  the  meat  and  reduce  it  to  a  mass  of  insipid  shreds. 
When  the  beef  is  done  leave  it  in  the  water  until  this  is  nearly 
cold,  then  take  it  out  and  lay  it  between  two  flat  surfaces  and 
put  heavy  weights  upon  it.  It  should  remain  thus  all  night.  In 
the  morning  remove  the  cloth,  trim  the  beef  into  comeliness,  if 
there  are  any  ragged  edges,  and  garnish  it  with  watercress,  or 
parsley  and  small  pickles. 

STEWED  TRIPE. 

Cut  into  dice,  and  saute  in  hot  fat  in  which  a  sliced  onion  has 
been  fried.  Cook  the  tripe  ten  minutes,  and  cover  with  boiling 
water.  Stew  half  an  hour  gently ;  season  with  salt,  pepper,  a 
great  spoonful  of  tomato-juice,  a  tablespoonful  of  chopped  celery 
and  the  same  of  parsley,  and  cook  slowly  until  the  tripe  is  tender 
and  clear. 


THE   NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  10$ 

Before  tripe  is  used  it  should  be  soaked  five  or  six  hours,  then 
scraped  clean,  and  simmered  in  hot  water,  slightly  salted,  for 
three  hours  longer.  Drain  and  let  it  get  cold.  You  can  buy  it 
ready  for  cooking  in  the  markets. 

BOILED  BEEFS  TONGUE   (FRESH). 

Trim  away  the  uneatable  root.  (It  may  go  into  the  stock-pot 
as  fresh  meat.)  Put  the  tongue  on  in  hot,  salted  water  and  boil 
it  an  hour  if  small,  an  hour  and  a  half  if  large.  Remove  the  skin 
carefully  and  serve  with  a  piquante  sauce  poured  over  it,  and 
more  of  the  same  served  in  a  boat. 

BRAISED  BEEFS  TONGUE   (FRESH). 

Boil  for  one  hour,  take  off  the  skin  and  lay  the  tongue  in  a 
covered  roaster,  or  in  a  pot  with  a  broad  bottom,  upon  a  bed  of 
vegetables,  a  small  carrot  cut  into  dice,  a  small  onion  sliced,  a 
stalk  of  celery  minced,  and  chopped  parsley.  Just  cover  all  with 
water  from  the  pot  in  which  the  tongue  was  boiled,  fit  a  close 
lid  upon  the  baking  pan  and  simmer  gently  two  hours.  Take 
out  the  tongue  and  keep  it  warm  over  hot  water  while  you  season 
the  vegetables  and  gravy  well,  and  rub  them  through  a  colander. 
Lay  the  tongue  in  an  open  baking-pan ;  pour  the  gravy  over  it, 
set  on  the  upper  grating  of  a  quick  oven  a  few  minutes  to  brown, 
and  serve  with  the  gravy  about  it. 

BOILED  TONGUE  (SMOKED). 

Wash  the  tongue  carefully,  and  let  it  lie  in  cold  water  for  sev- 
eral hours  before  cooking — over  night  if  possible.  Lay  it  in  a 
kettle  of  cold  water  when  it  is  to  be  cooked,  bring  the  water  to  a 
boil  slowly,  and  let  it  simmer  until  the  tongue  is  so  tender  that 
you  can  pierce  it  with  a  fork.  A  large  tongue  should  be  over 
the  fire  for  about  four  hours.  When  it  has  cooled  in  the  liquor 
in  which  it  was  boiled,  remove  the  skin  with  great  care,  begin- 
ning at  the  tip,  and  stripping  it  back.  Trim  away  the  gristle 
and  fat  from  the  root  of  the  tongue  before  serving. 


106  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


JELLIED  BEEF'S  TONGUE. 

Boil  a  smoked  tongue  as  directed  above,  and  when  cold  slice 
thin,  and  pack  it  (not  too  tightly)  in  a  mould.  When  all  the 
slices  are  in  pour  over  all  aspic  jelly  enough  to  cover  it  well,  but 
not  to  float  it,  and  set  on  ice. 

ASPIC  JELLY. 

Two  cups  of  well  seasoned  clear  stock — veal,  chicken,  or  con- 
somme of  any  kind.  Half  a  package  of  gelatine  that  has  been 
soaked  three  hours  in  enough  cold  water  to  cover  it.  Two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  vinegar  and  the  same  of  sherry.  Heat  the  stock  to 
boiling,  stir  in  the  gelatine,  bring  to  a  boil,  add  the  vinegar, 
cook  one  minute,  strain,  without  squeezing,  through  a  thick  bag, 
add  the  wine,  and  when  more  than  blood-warm  pour  over  the 
tongue. 

Calves'  and  lambs'  tongues  may  be  treated  in  the  same  way. 
You  can  vary  the  dish  by  alternating  the  slices  of  tongue  with 
olives  split  in  half,  or  slices  of  cold  boiled  egg. 

MOULDED  BEEF. 

Pass  two  pounds  of  lean,  raw  beef  twice  through  the  meat- 
chopper and  pick  out  all  bits  of  fibre  and  gristle.  Season  well 
with  paprica,  salt,  a  little  French  or  English  made  mustard,  and 
a  dash  of  onion-juice  ;  mix  in  half  a  cupful  of  fine  dry  crumbs,  a 
raw  egg  well  beaten,  two  tablespoonfuls  of  minced  fat  pork,  and 
half  a  can  of  champignons  (French  mushrooms)  cut  into  quar- 
ters. Wet  with  half  a  cupful  of  stock,  and  press  into  a  buttered 
mould  that  has  a  close  cover,  or  into  a  bowl,  and  tie  a  thick  cloth 
tightly  over  it.  Set  in  boiling  water  that  does  not  come  up 
quite  high  enough  on  the  sides  to  float  the  mould,  and  cook 
steadily  upon  the  top  of  the  range  for  nearly  three  hours.  With- 
out removing  from  the  mould,  fit  over  the  meat  a  plate  that 
presses  equally  upon  all  parts,  lay  a  heavy  weight  on  this  and  set 
away  to  get  perfectly  cold.  Turn  out  and  cut  in  horizontal 
slices. 


THE   NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  IO/ 

You  make  this  nice  supper  or  picnic  dish  ornamental  by  ar- 
ranging olives  cut  into  halves  in  a  ring  or  in  perpendicular  lines 
within  the  mould  before  pressing  the  beef  mixture  carefully  upon 
them,  or  by  disposing  halved  champignons  in  like  designs. 

MOCK  HARE. 

Beat  a  sirloin  steak  (having  removed  bone  and  fat)  from  end 
to  end  with  the  flat  of  a  hatchet  and  trim  the  edges.  Lay  in  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  vinegar  and  the  same  of  oil  for  two  hours.  Pile 
in  the  centre,  then,  half  a  cupful  of  force-meat  made  of  bread- 
crumbs and  fine  bits  of  fat  pork  seasoned  well  with  parsley,  pep- 
per, salt,  and  onion-juice ;  draw  together  the  sides  of  the  steak  in 
a  long  cylinder,  enclosing  this  and  sew  the  edges  together;  lay 
in  your  covered  roaster  upon  minced  carrot  and  onion,  cover 
the  "hare"  with  thin  slices  of  fat  corned  pork,  bound  into 
place  by  cotton -strings,  pour  about  him  two  cupfuls  of  weak 
stock  or  of  butter  and  water  ;  cover  and  roast  steadily  one  hour  ; 
uncover,  remove  the  pork,  baste  well  with  butter  and  brown. 
Transfer  to  a  hot  dish  and  set,  covered,  in  an  open  oven,  while 
you  strain  the  gravy,  and  thicken  with  browned  flour,  adding 
then  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon,  a  little  French  mustard,  and  a 
tablespoonful  of  wine.  Lay  the  pork  about  the  beef,  pour  a 
few  spoonfuls  of  gravy  over  him,  and  send  the  rest  to  table  in 
a  boat.  If  you  can  withdraw  the  stitches  by  careful  clipping 
without  injuring  the  "  hare's"  shape,  it  is  neater  than  to  send 
them  to  the  table  with  him.  Cooked  thus,  a  tough  steak  is  ten- 
der, and  has  really  a  "  gamey  "  flavor. 

BEEF  ROULETTES. 

Chop  lean  raw  beef  very  fine,  season  well  with  paprica,  onion- 
juice,  and  salt.  For  every  cupful  of  the  minced  meat  allow  a 
tablespoonful  of  almonds,  chopped  fine.  Bind  the  mixture  with 
a  raw  egg  beaten  light,  and  make  it  with  floured  hands  into 
round  balls  about  as  large  as  an  English  walnut.  Flour  well, 
and  fry  them  in  deep  fat  made  very  hot  before  they  go  in. 


108  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

Shake  off  every  drop  of  fat  in  a  hot  sieve ;  arrange  in  a  heated 
platter,  and  pour  this  gravy  about  them : 

One  tablespoonful  of  flour  stirred  two  minutes  into  one  of 
heated  butter,  and  thinned  with  half  a  cupful  of  stock  or  con- 
somme ;  boiled  two  minutes ;  seasoned  well  and  poured  over  the 
roulettes. 

You  may  substitute  chopped  champignons  for  the  almonds, 
and  stir  a  tablespoonful  of  them  into  the  gravy.  As  tough  meat 
can  be  utilized  for  roulettes,  you  have  a  pretty  and  toothsome 
entree  at  a  trifling  expense. 

STUFFED  BEEFS  HEART, 

Wash  thoroughly,  clearing  the  ventricles  of  all  coagulated 
blood,  and  stuff  with  a  good  force-meat  of  crumbs,  minced  pork, 
onion,  parsley,  and  other  seasoning.  Fill  all  the  orifices  with 
this,  packing  it  in  well ;  sew  the  heart  up  in  mosquito-netting 
fitted  to  the  shape,  and  boil  two  hours  in  weak  stock,  which,  by 
the  way,  you  may  use  again  for  soup.  Let  the  heart  get  al- 
most cold  before  taking  it  out,  put  a  weight  upon  it,  and  do  not 
undo  the  cloth  until  the  heart  is  cold,  stiff,  and  flattened.  Cut 
perpendicularly  into  thin  slices.  Cook  calf's  heart  in  the  same 
way. 

CHIPPED  BEEF. 

This  especial  form  of  much-misnamed  "relish"  is  neither 
digestible  nor  palatable  as  usually  served  upon  the  tea-table  of 
tired  housewives  who  "  do  their  own  work,"  and  have  no  heart 
to  study  variety  of  fare.  Plain  bread-and-butter  and  cottage 
cheese,  with  a  glass  of  milk  or  really  good  tea,  would  be  better 
for  stomach  and  soul. 

If  nothing  else  in  the  shape  of  an  "  appetizer  "  is  at  hand,  put 
the  sliced  or  chipped  beef  into  a  frying-pan,  cover  with  boiling 
water  in  which  has  been  mixed  a  tablespoonful  of  vinegar. 
Cover  and  leave  on  the  table  for  ten  minutes;  put,  then,  over 
the  fire  and  bring  slowly  to  a  boil,  after  which  simmer  for  ten 
minutes  longer.  Drain  and  chop  the  beef,  and  stir  into  a  white 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  IOQ 

sauce  enriched  by  a  beaten  egg,  and  seasoned  with  pepper  and 
chopped  parsley.  Do  not  cook  after  the  meat  goes  in. 

Or— 

You  may  return  the  minced  beef  to  the  fire,  adding  a  table- 
spoonful  of  butter  and  a  little  pepper  for  each  cupful,  and  when 
hot,  "  scramble  "  quickly  with  four  or  five  beaten  eggs,  dishing 
while  the  eggs  are  still  soft. 


-     VEAL. 

While  veal  of  the  right  age  and  cooked  judiciously  may  not 
be  unwholesome,  so  much  that  is  put  upon  the  market — espe- 
cially a  country  market — is  so  immature  when  it  comes  into  the 
cook's  hands  and  is  so  barbarously  misused  by  her  that  dis- 
trust of  the  calf  as  an  article  of  family  diet  grows  and  strengthens 
with  the  study  of  dietetics.  "Bob  Veal,"  i.e.,  calves  slaugh- 
tered with  the  mother's  milk  upon  their  lips,  is  an  atrocity  and 
should  be  dealt  with  by  law  as  such.  The  flesh  thereof  has  a 
bloodless  look,  the  muscles  are  flaccid,  the  whole  creature  is  a 
matter  of  pulp  and  cartilage.  At  its  best  estate,  veal  should 
not  be  kept  long  before  it  is  cooked,  and  requires  more  skilful 
management  to  make  it  nutritious  even  to  the  normal  stomach 
than  beef,  mutton,  lamb,  game  or  poultry.  To  some  otherwise 
well-conducted  digestions  it  is  rank  poison.  If  there  be  any  ir- 
regularity in  the  alimentary  organs,  it  is  wise  to  let  it  alone. 
With  respect  to  this,  as  in  most  other  questions  of  diet,  every 
general  law  has  a  list  of  exceptions  that  sets  known  rules  at  de- 
fiance. The  recipes  herewith  given  are  designed  for  the  use  of 
those  who  can  eat  veal  with  satisfaction  and  impunity  and  who 
like  the  various  savory  preparations  thereof. 

In  soup-making,  we  cannot  dispense  with  it,  and  the  sweet- 
breads yielded  by  the  despised  calf  are  dear  to  the  heart  and 
rest  lightly  upon  the  stomach  of  the  epicure  all  over  the  civilized 
world. 


IIO  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

ROAST  LOIN  OF  VEAL. 

Lay  upon  the  grill  of  your  covered  roaster,  dash  a  cupful  of 
boiling  water  over  it,  cover  closely  and  set  in  a  hot  oven  for  fif- 
teen minutes,  after  which  draw  the  heat,  or  change  the  oven,  rub 
all  over  with  butter,  and  roast  eighteen  minutes  to  the  pound. 
If  you  use  the  covered  roaster,  turn  twice  while  cooking  and 
baste  four  times.  It  must  be  thoroughly  done.  Half  an  hour 
before  taking  the  meat  up,  dip  out  a  cupful  of  gravy,  set  in  cold 
water  to  throw  up  the  grease  ;  skim  carefully ;  add  half  a  cupful 
of  strained  cooked  tomatoes  and  boil  fast  ten  minutes  before 
thickening  with  browned  flour  and  seasoning  with  pepper  and 
salt. 

Fifteen  minutes  before  serving,  rub  the  meat  over  with  butter, 
pepper  and  salt,  dredge  with  flour  and  set  on  the  upper  grating 
of  the  oven  to  brown. 

ROAST  FILLET  OF  VEAL. 

Have  the  bone  taken  out >  and  fill  the  hole  thus  left  with  a  stuff- 
ing of  crumbs,  chopped  pork  or  ham,  chopped  parsley,  pepper  and 
salt.  Pin  the  fillet  into  shape  with  skewers  and  bind  with  stout 
cords.  The  stuffing  should  also  be  pressed  well  down  between 
the  folds  of  the  fillet,  and  thin  slices  of  ham  or  pork  be  laid  over 
the  top  after  it  goes  into  the  roaster.  These  must  be  removed 
fifteen  minutes  before  the  meat  comes  from  the  oven,  the  top  be 
rubbed  with  butter,  peppered,  and  dredged  with  flour  to  brown 
it.  Proceed  in  all  things  else  as  with  the  roast  loin.  Cook 
eighteen  minutes  to  the  pound. 

BRAISED  BREAST  OF  VEAL. 

Run  a  sharp  knife  between  the  ribs  and  the  flesh  and  fill  the 
space  thus  cleared  with  force-meat  made  as  directed  in  last  recipe. 
Lay  in  the  roaster  upon  a  bed  of  chopped  carrots,  onions,  cel- 
ery, and  tomatoes.  Pour  a  cupful  of  boiling  water  over  the  meat, 
cover  closely  and  cook  slowly,  allowing  fully  twenty  minutes 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  III 

per  pound.  Fifteen  minutes  before  serving  transfer  the  meat  to 
an  open  pan  (heated),  rub  with  butter,  pepper,  salt,  dredge  with 
browned  flour  and  set  in  a  quick  oven  to  brown.  Meanwhile, 
strain  and  press  the  gravy  and  vegetables  through  a  colander 
into  a  saucepan,  return  to  the  fire,  season  to  taste,  thicken  with 
browned  flour,  boil  up,  and  when  the  meat  is  dished  pour  a  few 
spoonfuls  over  and  about  it.  Serve  the  rest  in  a  boat. 

ROAST  SHOULDER  OF  VEAL. 

Cook  as  above,  omitting  the  vegetables,  and  roasting  two 
minutes  less  per  pound.  Bear  in  mind  that  all  the  juices  must  be 
kept  in  so  dry  a  meat  as  veal,  and  that  the  bacon  and  butter  are 
needful  additions  to  that  which  would  otherwise  be  insipid. 

VEAL  CUTLETS  AND  CHOPS. 

Pepper  and  salt,  dip  in  beaten  egg,  then  in  fine  cracker-crumbs 
salted  and  peppered. 

If  you  wish  the  cutlets  fried,  lay  them  with  care  in  deep  fat 
hissing  hot,  and  cook  rather  slowly,  but  steadily. 

If  you  would  saute  them  cook  slices  of  fat  ham  or  of  salt  pork 
in  a  frying-pan,  take  them  out  when  crisp,  and  put  in  the  veal, 
turning  when  the  underside  is  browned. 

Serve  on  a  hot- water  dish,  anoint  with  butter  and  lemon- 
juice,  or  send  them  dry  to  table,  and  pass  tomato-sauce  with 
them. 

Serve  spinach  with  veal  whenever  you  can. 

VEAL  STEAKS 

are  really  "better  eating"  than  chops  or  cutlets,  and  should 
be  better  known. 

Cut  them  but  half  an  inch  thick  and  broil  more  slowly  than  you 
would  beefsteak,  also  turning  oftener.  Dish  upon  a  heated  plat- 
ter and  pour  over  them  a  sauce  made  of  four  young  onions  sliced 
and  fried  in  a  generous  tablespoonful  of  butter,  two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  strained  stewed  tomatoes,  a  teaspoonful  of  minced  parsley 


112  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

and  half  a  cupful  of  stock  simmered  together  for  half  an  hour, 
then  strained,  thickened  with  browned  flour,  and  boiled  one 
minute.  If  you  have  no  stock,  use  boiling  water  and  more  but- 
ter. Let  the  steaks  lie  in  this  five  minutes  before  you  send  to 
table,  keeping  hot  over  boiling  water. 

STEWED  FILLET  OF  VEAL. 

Prepare  as  for  roasting,  put  into  a  pot  with  two  cupfuls  of 
stock,  cover  closely  and  cook  gently  for  four  hours.  If  you 
have  no  stock  add  three  tablespoonfuls  of  chopped  salt  pork  to  two 
cupfuls  of  hot  water,  and  use  instead.  Take  up  the  meat  when 
done,  undo  the  strings,  and  keep  hot,  while  you  add  to  the  gravy 
left  in  the  pot  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  rolled  in  as  much  browned 
flour,  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon,  a  great  spoonful  of  tomato  cat- 
sup, salt  and  pepper  to  taste.  Boil  up  sharply  and  strain  and 
rub  through  a  colander  over  the  meat. 

Have  eight  or  ten  baked  tomatoes,  plain  or  stuffed,  to  lay 
about  the  meat  on  the  dish,  and  pass  spinach  with  it. 

STEWED  KNUCKLE  OF  VEAL  WITH  DUMPLINGS. 

Crack  the  knuckle  well  and  put  over  the  fire  with  four  slices 
of  corned  ham  cut  into  dice,  or  as  much  salt  pork  (the  ham  is 
nicer),  a  carrot  minced,  an  onion  sliced  thin,  a  tablespoonful  of 
chopped  parsley,  and  a  tomato  cut  up  small.  Coven  with  a 
quart  of  boiling  water,  and  cook  slowly  two  hours.  Season  them 
to  taste  with  pepper  and  salt,  put  on  the  lid  and  cook  one  hour 
longer,  or  until  the  meat  slips  easily  from  the  bones.  Take  out 
the  bones,  arrange  the  meat  upon  a  hot  dish,  surround  it  with 
the  dumplings,  and  pour  over  all  the  gravy  when  you  have 
strained  it,  thickened  it  with  flour,  and  boiled  it  one  minute. 

DUMPLINGS  FOR  THIS  STEW. 

One  cupful  of  flour,  sifted  twice,  with  a  teaspoonful  of  Cleve- 
land's baking  powder,  and  half  a  teaspoonful  of  salt ;  half  a  cup- 
ful of  milk ;  one  teaspoonful  of  butter.  Rub  or  chop  the  butter 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  113 

into  the  prepared  flour,  wet  up  with  the  milk  into  a  soft  dough  ; 
flour  your  hands  well,  and  handling  as  lightly  as  possible,  form 
the  dough  into  balls,  and  drop  into  boiling  water.  Cook  ten 
minutes.  They  should  be  ready  at  the  same  time  with  the  gravy, 
as  they  get  clammy  with  waiting. 

This  stew  is  good  when  made  with  lean  mutton. 

VEAL  AND  HAM  PIE. 

Cut  the  meat  into  strips  half  an  inch  wide  and  over  an  inch 
long.  Have  ready  half  as  much  cooked  ham  cut  up  in  the  same 
way,  and  six  eggs  boiled  hard.  Before  you  begin  to  make  the  pie 
have  the  gravy  ready  and  cold.  Make  it  by  stewing  slowly 
bones  and  refuse  bits  of  veal  in  a  pint  of  water  until  you  have 
reduced  the  liquid  one-half,  when  strain  out  the  meat  and  bones, 
add  a  small  onion  minced,  a  tablespoonful  of  strained  tomato- 
sauce,  and  one  of  chopped  sweet  herbs,  with  pepper  to  taste  (the 
ham  supplying  the  salt),  and  cook  five  minutes  before  setting 
aside  to  cool. 

Now  put  in  the  bottom  of  a  pudding-dish  a  layer  of  the  veal, 
pepper  lightly,  and  dust  with  flour  ;  cover  with  a  layer  of  ham, 
and  this  with  slices  of  hard-boiled  egg,  each  with  a  bit  of  butter 
upon  it.  Another  layer  of  veal,  peppered  and  floured,  more  ham 
and  eggs,  and  so  on  until  all  the  materials  are  in.  A  few  drops 
of  lemon-juice  on  the  ham,  or  a  few  capers  sprinkled  here  and 
there,  improve  the  flavor.  Pour  in  the  gravy,  cover  with  a  good 
paste,  cutting  a  slit  in  the  middle,  and  bake  slowly  an  hour  and 
a  half  for  a  medium-sized  pie ;  two  hours  if  it  be  large.  Lay 
stout,  clean  paper  over  it  for  the  first  hour,  and  keep  the  oven 
steady,  not  too  hot. 

This  is  a  delicious  pie. 

SCALLOPED  VEAL. 

Use  cold  cooked  veal  for  this  purpose.  Chop  it  we'll,  clearing 
it  of  bones  and  gristly  bits,  season  to  taste  and  lay  a  stratum  in 
the  bottom  of  a  buttered  bake -dish.  Cover  with  cracker- 
crumbs,  salted  and  peppered,  with  bits  of  butter  dropped  over 


114  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

them  ;  moisten  with  stock,  or  with  milk,  or,  if  convenient,  with 
oyster-juice,  and  put  in  more  veal.  Use  up  your  ingredients 
in  this  order,  having  a  thick  layer  of  cracker-crumbs  on  top, 
well  buttered  and  moistened  ;  set  in  the  oven,  bake,  covered,  for 
half  an  hour,  then  brown  quickly. 

Chicken  is  very  nice  scalloped  according  to  this  recipe. 

VEAL  AND  HAM  PATES. 

Mince  cold  cooked  veal  and  ham  in  the  proportion  of  two- 
thirds  veal  and  one-third  ham.  A  few  champignons  are  a  pleas- 
ing addition.  To  each  cup  of  the  mixture  allow  a  tablespoon- 
ful  of  fine  crumbs ;  season  piquantly  with  salt,  a  dash  of  cayenne, 
a  little  lemon-juice  and  a  teaspoonful  of  catsup.  Wet  up  with 
stock,  or  butter  and  water,  and  heat  in  a  vessel  set  in  another  of 
hot  water,  to  a  smoking  boil.  Take  from  the  fire,  stir  in  a 
beaten  egg  and  a  glass  of  sherry  and  fill  shells  of  pastry  that  have 
been  baked  empty.  The  shells  should  be  hot  when  the  mince 
goes  in.  Set  in  the  oven  for  two  or  three  minutes,  but  the  mixt- 
ure must  not  cook. 

SCALLOP  OF  VEAL  AND  MUSHROOMS. 

A  "  Left-over." 

Make  this  the  day  after  you  have  had  a  roast  fillet  of  veal. 

Chop  cold  veal  and  stuffing  ;  put  a  layer  into  a  greased  bake- 
dish ;  season,  and  wet  with  the  cold  gravy.  Lay  chopped 
mushrooms  upon  this  ;  then  bread-crumbs,  with  butter  scattered 
over  them.  More  meat  seasoning,  mushrooms,  and  crumbs 
should  fill  the  dish,  with  plenty  of  crumbs  profusely  buttered  on 
top.  Wet  each  layer  of  meat  with  gravy.  Cover  the  dish,  and 
bake  until  it  bubbles  on  top.  Brown  lightly,  and  send  to  table 
in  the  dish  in  which  it  was  cooked. 

A  "COMPANY-DISH"  OF  VEAL. 

Take  the  large  bones  from  a  piece  of  loin  of  veal ;  stuff  the 
cavities  thus  made  with  a  good  force-meat  of  chopped  pork- 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  115 

crumbs  and  seasoning  —  a  few  chopped  mushrooms  are  an 
improvement — cover  the  sides  with  greased  sheets  of  thick  writ- 
ing-paper ;  put  a  cupful  of  soup-stock  or  other  gravy  in  the  drip- 
ping-pan, and  baste  well  for  one  hour  with  butter  and  water, 
afterward  with  the  gravy.  Cook  fully  twelve  minutes  to  the 
pound.  Take  off  the  paper  during  the  last  half  hour  ;  dredge 
with  flour,  baste  with  butter,  and  brown  nicely.  Take  up  and 
keep  hot  while  you  skim  the  fat  from  the  gravy,  stir  into  it  half 
a  cupful  of  chopped  mushrooms  and  a  little  browned  flour. 
Serve  this,  having  cooked  it  three  minutes,  in  a  boat.  Have 
ready  some  green  pease,  boiled  and  seasoned,  and  make  a  fence 
of  them  about  the  veal  when  dished. 

MOCK  PIGEONS. 

Take  the  bone  from  two  fillets  of  veal  cut  an  inch  thick  ;  flat- 
ten them  with  the  broad  side  of  a  hatchet  and  spread  with  a 
good  force-meat  of  crumbs  and  chopped  ham,  seasoned  well. 
Roll  the  meat  up  on  this ;  bind  into  oblong  rolls  with  soft  string  ; 
lay  in  a  dripping-pan  and  pour  over  them  two  cupfuls  of  boiling 
stock.  Turn  a  pan  over  them  and  bake  nearly  two  hours,  bast- 
ing well  with  the  gravy.  When  done,  lay  upon  a  hot  dish  while 
you  thicken  the  gravy  with  browned  flour,  and  season  well  with 
pepper,  salt,  and  tomato-catsup.  Boil  one  minute  and  pour  part 
over  the  pigeons,  the  rest  into  a  boat.  Clip  the  strings  and  pull 
them  carefully  from  the  meat. 

VEAL  LOAF. 

Cut  the  last  shavings  from  the  almost  naked  bone  of  a  boiled 
ham.  If  you  have  no  "  left-overs  "  of  cold  veal,  boil  a  pound 
of  this  meat.  The  coarsest  piece  will  do,  but  it  must  be  lean. 
While  the  veal  cools,  boil  down  the  liquor  in  which  it  was 
cooked  to  a  half  cupful.  If  your  veal  is  already  cooked  treat  a 
cupful  of  gravy  in  the  same  way.  Add  to  this  a  teaspoonful  of 
butter,  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon,  pepper  and  salt,  with  a  pinch  of 
mace.  Chop  veal  and  ham  very  fine,  mix  up  well  together, 
wet  with  the  gravy,  and  press  hard  into  a  bowl.  Lay  on  the  sur- 


Il6  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

face  a  saucer  or  small  plate,  and  set  on  this  a  flat-iron  or  other 
weight.  By  the  morrow  it  will  be  firm.  Turn  out  bottom  up- 
ward, and  cut  in  thin  perpendicular  slices.  Scraps  of  poultry 
can  be  worked  up  nicely  in  this  way,  mixing  them  with  ham. 
By  keeping  a  long  look  ahead  and  paying  wise  heed  to  the  "  bits 
and  sups  "  that  would  otherwise  be  thrown  away  as  worthless, 
the  housekeeper  can  grace  her  board  with  many  a  pretty  "  relish  " 
unknown  to  most  people  whose  "  obligation  to  live  prudently  " 
implies  coarseness,  if  not  meanness  of  fare. 

PRESSED  VEAL  OR  GALANTINE. 

Have  a  veal  steak  cut  thin ;  trim  into  a  neat  shape  with  no 
ragged  edges.  Lay  flat  upon  a  dish  and  butter  the  inside  well ; 
then  spread  with  a  mixture  of  a  half-cupful  of  cold  boiled  tongue 
(or  ham),  a  great  spoonful  of  minced  mushrooms  and  the  same  of 
almonds,  blanched  and  chopped  fine.  Season  with  paprica  and 
a  few  drops  of  onion-juice — the  tongue  or  ham  salting  it  suffi- 
ciently. Roll  as  you  would  a  valise-pudding,  and  sew  up  in  a 
piece  of  cheese-cloth,  fitted  to  the  shape.  Put  into  a  saucepan  ; 
cover  with  weak  stock  or  consomme  (which  you  can  use  again  for 
soup),  drop  in  a  sliced  onion,  a  stalk  of  celery  minced,  and  a 
teaspoonful  of  chopped  soup-herbs,  and  cook  slowly  at  a  steady 
simmer  three  hours,  closely  covered.  Set  away  until  lukewarm 
in  the  liquor ;  then  lift  it  out  and  put  it  upon  a  dish  with  a 
plate  on  top,  and  on  this  a  heavy  weight.  Leave  thus  all  night. 
Take  off  the  cloth  when  ready  to  use  it,  and  cut  perpendicularly 
in  thin  slices. 

A  delightful  relish  for  tea,  or  picnic,  or  luncheon  on  a  hot 
day.  It  is  made  elegant  by  laying  the  roll  of  pressed  meat, 
after  removing  the  cloth,  in  an  oblong  mould  and  pouring  over 
it  aspic  jelly.  Set  on  the  ice,  and  turn  out  when  the  jelly  is 
firm. 

VEAL  EGGS  IN  A  NEST  A  LA  TURIN. 

Mince  cold  veal,  season  to  taste,  and  wet  slightly  with  a  good 
gravy.  To  each  cupful  allow  a  tablespoon ful  of  finely  minced 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  I  \J 

blanched  almonds,  or  the  same  quantity  of  champignons  chopped 
small.  Bind  the  mixture  with  a  beaten  egg,  stir  over  the  fire 
one  minute  and  set  aside  to  cool.  Flour  your  hands  and  form 
into  balls  the  size  and  shape  of  an  egg;  let  them  get  cold,  roll 
in  egg  and  cracker-dust,  and  fry  in  deep  fat. 

Arrange  upon  a  platter  a  border  of  spaghetti  boiled  tender  in 
salted  water  and  drained.  Butter  plentifully  and  pour  carefully 
over  it  a  cupful  of  strained  tomato-sauce.  Heap  the  eggs  in  the 
centre,  and  you  have  an  attractive  and  most  palatable  entree, 
especially  if  almonds  be  used. 

VEAL  SOUFFL& 

Two  cupfuls  cold  veal,  minced  fine.  One  cupful  bread-crumbs, 
dry  and  fine.  One  cupful  boiling  milk.  One  tablespoonful 
butter.  One  slice  cold  boiled  ham,  minced.  One  egg,  beaten 
very  light.  A  pinch  of  soda  dissolved  in  the  milk.  Pepper  and 
salt  to  taste. 

Soak  the  crumbs  in  the  boiling  milk,  stir  in  the  butter  and  let 
the  mixture  cool.  Stir  in  the  meat  first  when  the  bread  is 
nearly  cold,  season,  and  last  put  in  the  beaten  eggs.  Beat  all 
up  well  and  pour  into  a  well-greased  pudding-dish.  Set  in  a 
brisk  oven,  covered,  and  bake  half  an  hour,  uncover,  brown 
lightly,  and  serve  immediately. 

CALFS  HEAD  AU  GRATIN. 

Wash  the  head,  which  should  be  cleaned  with  the  skin  left  on. 
Take  out  and  set  aside  for  other  dishes  the  tongue  and  brains, 
parboiling  both,  and  sprinkling  lightly  with  salt.  Put  the  head 
over  the  fire  in  enough  cold  water  to  cover  it,  bring  quickly  to 
a  boil,  and  as  soon  as  this  is  reached,  lift  it  out  and  plunge  it 
into  ice-water.  This  will  make  it  white  and  firm.  When  per- 
fectly cold  (the  water  should  be  changed  twice  for  colder),  wash 
all  over  with  vinegar  and  put  on  again,  now  in  plenty  of  boiling 
water  in  which  have  been  mixed  two  tablespoon fuls  of  vinegar. 
Add  half  a  sliced  onion,  a  sliced  carrot,  some  minced  parsley, 
six  black  peppers,  and  a  heaping  teaspoonful  of  salt.  Cook 


Il8  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

gently  two  hours  for  a  small  head,  longer  for  a  large,  or  until 
you  can  slip  out  the  cheek-bones. 

Transfer  with  care  to  a  baking-pan,  draw  out  the  bones  and 
teeth,  injuring  the  shape  as  little  as  may  be,  rub  well  with  butter, 
cover  thickly  with  fine  crumbs,  peppered  and  salted,  and  brown 
upon  the  upper  grating  of  an  oven. 

Serve  with  tomato-sauce. 

The  liquor  in  which  the  head  was  boiled  will  make  a  fine 
soup. 

BOD-ED  CALF'S  HEAD. 

Cook  as  in  the  last  recipe,  but  when  the  head  is  drawn  from 
the  liquor,  tender,  but  not  dropping  to  pieces,  lay  it  upon  a  hot 
dish,  with  the  tongue,  boiled  and  cut  into  four  strips,  about  it, 
and  pour  over  all  a  sauce  made  of  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter 
heated  with  four  of  vinegar,  a  half-teaspoonful  of  onion-juice,  a 
tablespoonful  of  chopped  capers,  pepper  and  salt  to  taste. 

Or — 

Add  to  this  sauce  the  brains,  cooked  soft,  freed  from  strings,  and 
beaten  to  a  cream,  with  a  little  of  the  water  in  which  the 
head  was  cooked. 

FRIED  CALFS  BRAINS* 

Boil  the  brains  in  hot,  salted  water  for  fifteen  minutes  and 
drop  instantly  into  ice-cold  water  to  blanch  them.  Wipe  dry 
when  cold.  Take  off  the  skins  and  clear  away  the  strings,  cut 
each  lobe  into  halves,  pepper  and  salt,  roll  in  egg  and  cracker- 
dust,  set  aside  to  get  cold  and  stiff,  and  then  fry  in  deep  fat. 

They  make  a  savory  entree,  but  are  usually  a  garnish  to  larger 
meats. 

TIMBALES  OF  CALFS  BRAINS, 

One  calf's  brain,  parboiled  \  a  heaping  tablespoonful  of 
blanched  and  chopped  almonds  (very  fine)  ;  whites  of  four  eggs, 
salt  and  white  pepper  to  taste. 

Beat  the  brains  to  a  cream,  stir  in  the  other  ingredients ;  fill 


THE   NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  119 

small  buttered  moulds  or  pate-pans,  set  in  a  pan  of  boiling  water 
and  cook  in  a  good  oven  fifteen  minutes  after  the  boil  recom- 
mences. Turn  out  carefully  on  a  hot  dish,  and  serve  with  a 
good  white  sauce.  These  may  be  made  of  pig's  brains  also. 

BROILED  SWEETBREADS. 

Let  them  stand  in  cold  water  for  an  hour ;  then  parboil  in 
boiling,  slightly  salted,  water  for  ten  minutes,  then  plunge  into 
ice-cold,  to  plump  and  blanch  them.  No  matter  how  you  intend 
to  cook  them,  do  these  things  as  soon  as  the  sweetbreads  are 
brought  in,  as  they  are  very  perishable.  When  cold,  take  from 
the  water,  wipe  well,  and  if  you  are  not  ready  to  cook  them, 
sprinkle  with  salt  and  set  on  ice.  When  you  wish  to  broil  them, 
rub  all  over  with  melted  butter,  or  salad  oil,  and  broil  over  clear 
coals,  turning  often.  When  about  half  done,  roll  them  over  and 
over  in  melted  butter  or  in  hot  oil,  and  return  to  the  fire. 

Serve  dry  upon  a  hot  dish,  or  dress  with  butter  beaten  to  a 
cream  with  lemon-juice. 

STEWED  SWEETBREADS. 

Parboil  and  blanch  the  sweetbreads,  and  let  them  get  cold. 
Cut  into  small  dice  of  uniform  size.  Make  a  white  roux  of  one 
tablespoonful  of  butter  and  the  same  of  flour,  and  stir  into  it  a  cup- 
ful of  hot  milk,  continuing  to  stir  until  it  bubbles  all  over ;  add 
now  a  cupful  of  chopped  mushrooms,  the  sweetbread  dice,  a  little 
chopped  parsley,  pepper  and  salt  to  taste,  and  set  the  saucepan 
in  boiling  water  for  five  minutes  before  serving. 

ROASTED  SWEETBREADS. 

Parboil  and  blanch  as  directed,  and  when  rather  more  than 
blood-warm,  sew  each  up  in  a  bit  of  mosquito-net,  cheese-cloth, 
or  coarse,  thin  muslin,  drawing  it  into  the  form  of  an  egg  or  a 
pear,  as  you  may  fancy,  and  fitting  the  cloth  as  smoothly  as  you 
can.  Now  lay  them  between  two  plates,  with  a  weight  upon  the 
upper,  and  leave  in  a  cold  place  for  several  hours.  Remove  the 


I2O  THE  NATIONAL    COOK 

cloths  ;  with  a  slender  skewer  perforate  each  in  half  a  dozen 
places,  and  pass  a  lardoon  of  fat  salt  pork  through  it,  the  ends 
projecting  at  each  side.  Arrange  in  a  baking-pan  ;  add  a  cupful 
of  weak  stock,  and  cook  brown  in  a  quick  oven,  basting  four  or 
five  times. 

Transfer  to  a  hot  dish,  and  cover  while  yon  strain  the  gravy; 
add  a  large  spoonful  of  minced  mushrooms ;  return  to  the  fire 
and  thicken  with  browned  flour.  Boil  up  once  sharply ;  pepper 
to  taste,  and  send  to  table  in  a  boat,  after  you  have  put  a  spoon- 
ful upon  each  sweetbread. 

BRAISED  SWEETBREADS. 

Prepare  as  for  roasting,  but  instead  of  larding  lay  them  upon 
thin  slices  of  salt  pork,  and  strew  about  them  a  carrot,  an  onion, 
and  a  stalk  of  celery,  cut  into  dice.  Add  a  cupful  of  hot  water 
or  weak  stock  ;  cover  closely  and  cook  half  an  hour.  Uncover, 
baste  well  with  butter,  then  with  their  own  gravy,  and  brown. 
Strain  and  rub  the  gravy  through  a  sieve  ;  thicken  with  browned 
flour ;  boil  up  and  pour  over  the  sweetbreads. 

FRIED  SWEETBREADS. 

Parboil,  blanch,  and  lard  with  fat  salt  pork,  and  fry  in  the  fat 
that  runs  from  the  pork  when  they  are  lain  in  the  hot  frying-pan. 

Or— 

Cut  them  into  slices  after  parboiling,  blanching,  and  chilling 
them ;  roll  these  in  beaten  egg  and  cracker-crumbs ;  set  on  ice 
for  an  hour  and  fry  in  deep  fat.  Serve  dry  and  hot,  with 
tomato-sauce. 

SWEETBREADS  A  LA  POULETTE. 

Parboil  and  blanch  them.  When  cold,  cut  into  neat  dice, 
add  a  tablespoonful  of  chopped  mushrooms  for  each  sweetbread  ; 
put  them  all  together  in  a  saucepan,  cover  with  white  stock,  or 
with  butter  and  water,  pepper  and  salt,  and  heat  to  a  boil. 
Strain  off  the  gravy,  and  return  to  the  saucepan,  heaping  sweet- 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  121 

breads  and  mushrooms  upon  a  dish  and  keeping  them  hot. 
Thicken  the  gravy  with  a  white  roux;  stir  in  a  great  spoonful 
of  cream  and  pour  over  the  dice.  You  may  omit  the  mush- 
rooms if  you  choose. 

SWEETBREAD  CROQUETTES. 

Parboil,  blanch,  and  mince  sweetbreads.  Put  over  the  fire 
with  just  stock  enough  to  cover  them,  season  to  taste,  and  bring 
to  a  boil.  Thicken  well  with  a  white  roux,  heat  again,  stir  in  a 
beaten  egg  for  each  cupful  of  sweetbread  dice,  and  pour  out 
upon  a  dish  to  cool.  When  stiff,  make,  with  floured  hands,  into 
croquettes,  roll  in  egg  and  fine  cracker -crumbs  and  set  in  a  cold 
place  for  at  least  two  hours  before  frying  them  in  deep  fat. 

CROQUETTES  OF  SWEETBREADS  AND  BRAINS. 
Make  as  above,  but  beat  into  the  sweetbread  dice  the  brains, 
which  have  been  washed,  scalded,  and  freed  from  membranes. 
Add  for  each  cupful  of  the  mixture  a  tablespoonful  of  fine  crumbs, 
wet  up  with  stock  and  heat  in  a  vessel  set  in  another  of  boiling 
water,  then  stir  in  a  beaten  egg,  and  when  smoking  hot,  turn  out 
to  cool  and  stiffen.  When  cold  proceed  as  with  sweetbread  cro- 
quettes. 

Or— 

Make  them  of  the  brains  alone,  omitting  the  stock,  and  pro- 
ceeding in  all  things  else  as  with  other  croquettes.  Serve  with 
pressed  spinach,  heaping  the  croquettes  or  balls  about  the  base 
of  the  mounded  vegetable. 

IMITATION  TERRAPIN. 

Boil  and  blanch  a  calf's  head,  and  when  the  flesh  is  loose  from 
the  bones  set  away  in  the  liquor  to  get  cold.  Take  it  out,  wipe 
it  and  let  it  get  firm.  Cut  into  dice  an  inch  long  and  half  as 
wide  and  set  aside.  Thicken  a  cupful  of  the  liquor  in  which  the 
head  was  boiled  with  a  roux  of  browned  flour  and  butter,  drop 
in  the  dice  and  simmer  fifteen  minutes;  season  with  salt,  a  pinch 


122  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

of  nutmeg  and  a  dash  of  cayenne  ;  lift  from  the  fire  and  keep  hot 
in  a  vessel  of  boiling  water  while  you  prepare  the  sauce. 

Heat  a  cupful  of  cream  (this  is  for  two  cupfuls  of  the  meat 
dice),  putting  in  a  bit  of  soda  to  prevent  curdling,  and,  taking 
from  the  fire,  pour  gradually  upon  the  yolks  of  three  beaten  eggs. 
Stir  well  together,  add  to  the  meat  and  gravy,  and  just  before 
serving,  pour  in  a  glass  of  sherry.  This  imitation  is  the  better 
for  a  dozen  balls,  made  by  rubbing  together  the  yolks  of  six 
hard-boiled  eggs  with  calf's  brains,  a  raw  egg,  butter,  and  a 
tablespoonful  of  finely  minced  boiled  tongue.  Roll  them  in  flour, 
set  in  a  hot  oven  until  a  crust  forms  upon  them,  and  put  into  the 
*  <  terrapin  ' '  stew.  They  must  be  no  larger  than  marbles. 

SCALLOPED  CALFS  (OR  BEEF'S)  BRAINS, 

Soak  the  brains  in  cold  water  one  hour,  rid  them  of  all  fibres 
and  skin,  and  parboil  for  ten  minutes.  Drain  and  leave  in  ice- 
water  until  firm.  Cut  up  small,  and  lay  in  buttered  pate-pans, 
alternately  with  a  layer  of  finely  chopped  cooked  ham,  seasoning 
as  you  go  with  cayenne,  bits  of  butter,  and  a  few  drops  of  onion- 
juice.  Wet  with  hot  stock,  or  butter  and  water,  cover  with 
cracker -dust  dotted  with  butter,  and  brown  on  the  upper  grating 
of  a  hot  oven. 

CALF'S  LIVER  A  LA  JARDINIERE. 

Wash  the  liver  and  dry  with  a  soft  cloth  ;  lard  it  with  strips 
of  fat  salt  pork,  half  an  inch  apart,  and  lay  upon  a  bed  of  vegeta- 
bles— a  carrot  cut  into  dice,  a  parboiled  young  turnip,  also  cut 
up ;  a  cupful  of  green  peas,  or  of  lima  beans ;  a  chopped  onion 
and  a  tablespoonful  of  minced  parsley.  Dust  with  paprica,  cover 
with  boiling  water,  or  weak  stock ;  fit  on  a  close  lid  and  cook 
one  hour  before  adding  three  sliced  tomatoes.  Cook  about  forty 
minutes  longer  ;  dish  the  liver,  lay  the  drained  vegetables  close 
about  it  and  keep  hot  over  boiling  water  while  you  strain  the 
gravy  left  in  the  pan  and  thicken  it  with  browned  flour.  Boil 
up  sharply,  add  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon,  pour  part  of  it  over  the 
liver,  and  the  rest  into  a  boat. 


THE   NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  12$ 

Carve  the  liver  horizontally  and  serve  some  of  the  vegetables 
with  each  portion.  Should  there  be  any  of  the  liver  left,  put  a 
plate  upon  it,  and  a  weight  on  this,  and  press  to  be  eaten  cold. 

Sheep's  liver  or  lamb's  liver  is  quite  as  good  as  calf's  liver, 
and  far  cheaper. 

STEWED  CALF'S  LIVER. 

Cut  a  liver  into  dice  and  throw  them  into  cold  water  to  lie 
there  ten  minutes.  Heat  two  tablespoon fuls  of  butter  in  a  sauce- 
pan and  fry  in  it  half  an  onion  sliced  thin.  Take  out  the  onion, 
dry  the  liver  dice  between  two  soft  cloths,  pepper  and  salt  them 
and  dredge  with  flour  before  frying  them  in  the  butter  to  a  light 
brown.  Pour  upon  them  then  a  cupful  of  stock,  of  consomme,  or 
of  boiling  water  ;  cover  closely  and  simmer  half  an  hour  ;  take 
up  the  pieces  of  liver  and  keep  hot  on  a  platter  ;  thicken  the 
gravy  with  browned  flour,  season  with  salt,  parsley,  a  teaspoon- 
ful  of  tomato  catsup  and  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon.  Boil  up, 
add  a  glass  of  sherry  and  pour  over  the  liver. 

Half  a  can  of  champignons  improves  this  dish. 

CALF'S  LIVER  AND  BACON. 

Fry  the  bacon  until  it  begins  to  curl,  when  add  half  a  sliced 
onion,  and  cook  three  minutes  longer.  Take  out  the  bacon  and 
keep  hot  on  a  hot-water  dish,  strain  out  the  onion  and  return 
the  fat  to  the  fire.  As  it  begins  to  hiss  lay  in  the  slices  of  liver 
which  have  been  peppered,  salted,  and  rolled  in  flour.  Cook 
rather  slowly,  turning  frequently  until  brown  and  tender.  If 
cooked  rapidly  it  will  become  dry  and  hard  on  the  outsicle  and 
remain  rare  at  heart. 

Lay  in  the  middle  of  a  hot  platter  and  garnish  with  the  bacon. 

Or— 

You  may,  after  taking  the  meat  from  the  pan,  add  to  the  fat 
a  small  cup  of  stock,  or  of  boiling  water,  a  teaspoonful  of  tomato 
catsup  or  sauce,  a  little  chopped  parsley  and  a  tablespoonful  of 
browned  flour.  Boil  up,  stirring  all  the  while  and  pour  over  the 
meat. 


124  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

CALFS  LIVER  SAUTE. 

One  pound  of  liver,  sliced  thin  ;  two  tablespoon fuls  of  butter  ; 
one  teaspoonful  of  minced  onion  ;  one  tablespoonful  of  catsup, 
and  two  of  sherry.  Salt,  paprica,  and  flour. 

Heat  the  butter  in  a  frying-pan,  and  fry  the  onion  in  it. 
Pepper  and  salt  the  liver  and  roll  in  flour.  Lay  in  the  butter 
and  cook  to  a  light  brown,  turning  often.  Transfer  to  a  hot 
dish,  stir  into  the  butter  in  the  frying-pan  the  catsup  and  wine. 
Boil  up  once,  and  pour  over  the  liver. 

STUFFED  CALF'S  LIVER. 

Wash  the  liver  and  leave  it  in  cold  water  half  an  hour.  Wipe 
dry  and  run  a  sharp  knife  into  one  side,  almost  but  not  quite 
through.  Leave  an  inch  on  the  side  opposite  that  at  which  the 
blade  entered.  Work  the  knife  to  and  fro,  without  enlarging 
the  outer  aperture,  until  you  have  a  space  cleared  that  will  hold  a 
small  cupful  of  force-meat.  This  should  be  made  of  bread-crumbs, 
chopped  ham  or  pork,  chopped  mushrooms  (if  you  have  them), 
and  a  few  capers,  and  be  well  seasoned  with  pepper,  salt,  pars- 
ley, and  onion-juice.  Bind  it  with  a  raw  egg.  Plump  out  the 
liver  with  this,  and  sew  up  the  outer  gash.  Then,  sew  the 
whole  liver  up  in  mosquito-net  or  cheese-cloth,  fitted  closely  to 
the  new  shape,  lay  in  a  saucepan  upon  a  bed  of  chopped  carrot, 
onion,  and  tomato  ;  just  cover  with  hot  water  or  stock  and  cook 
in  a  close  vessel  for  an  hour  and  a  half.  Let  the  meat  get  almost 
cold  in  the  liquor,  take  it  out  and  put  between  two  plates,  with 
a  weight  upon  the  upper,  to  get  cold  and  firm.  When  you  are 
ready  to  use  it,  remove  the  cloth,  and  carve  horizontally  in  thin 
slices. 

It  is  a  palatable  supper,  or  luncheon  entree. 

LIVER  PATE. 

Boil  a  calf's  liver  very  tender  in  salted  water,  also,  in  another 
vessel  a  calf's  tongue.  Cut  half  a  can  of  champignons  into 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  12$ 

halves  and  boil.  When  liver  and  tongue  are  dead-cold,  pound 
the  liver  with  a  potato-beetle,  or  rub  with  the  back  of  a  wooden 
spoon  to  a  paste,  moistening  with  butter  as  you  go  on.  When 
it  is  soft  and  smooth,  season  the  paste  with  onion-juice,  cayenne 
or  paprica,  salt,  a  teaspoonful  of  Worcestershire  sauce,  and  half 
as  much  French  mustard.  Work  all  the  ingredients  together 
well,  and  pack  the  paste  in  small  jars,  interspersing  it  with  tiny 
dice  of  tongue  and  the  halved  champignons.  Butter  the  jars  or 
glasses  and  press  the  mixture  down  very  hard.  Smooth  the  tops 
and  cover  with  melted  butter.  These  pates  will  keep  for  a  month 
in  winter  and  are  convenient  and  popular. 

They  are  even  better  if  made  of  turkey  and  chicken  livers,  bits 
of  the  gizzards,  freed  from  cartilage,  taking  the  place  of  truffles. 

BRAISED  CALF'S  LIVER. 

Wash  well  and  wipe  dry.  Cover  the  bottom  of  your  baking- 
pan  with  thin  slices  of  salt  pork,  and  these  with  a  carrot  minced 
small,  also  a  sliced  onion  and  turnip  and  a  tablespoonful  of 
chopped  parsley.  Lay  the  liver  upon  this  ;  dredge  with  salt  and 
pepper;  pour  in  two  cups  of  boiling  water ;  cover  closely  and 
cook  two  hours,  for  the  last  twenty  minutes  uncovered  to  brown. 

Keep  the  liver  hot  in  a  covered  platter,  rub  the  gravy  and 
vegetables  through  a  colander,  thicken,  if  necessary,  boil  up 
sharply,  add  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon  and  a  teaspoonful  of  to- 
mato sauce,  and  pour  over  the  liver. 

CALF'S  LIVER  A  LA  MODE. 

One  fine,  fresh  liver  ;  one  half  pound  of  salt  pork,  cut  into  lar- 
doons  ;  three  tablespoonfuls  of  good  dripping;  two  sliced  onions, 
— small  ones ;  one  tablespoonful  of  Worcestershire  sauce ;  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  vinegar ;  one  teaspoonful  of  mixed  spices  ;  one  table- 
spoonful  of  sweet  herbs,  chopped  ;  pepper.  Wash  the  liver,  and 
soak  half  an  hour  in  cold,  salted  water.  Wipe  dry  and  lard  with 
the  fat  pork,  allowing  it  to  project  on  both  sides.  Heat  drip- 
ping, onion,  herbs,  and  spices  in  a  frying-pan.  Put  in  the  liver 


126  THE   NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

and  fry  both  sides  to  a  light  brown.  Turn  all  into  a  saucepan, 
add  the  vinegar,  and  water  enough  to  cover  it ;  put  on  a  close 
lid  and  stew  gently  one  hour  and  a  half.  Lay  the  liver  on  a 
hot  dish,  add  the  sauce  to  the  gravy,  strain  it,  thicken  with 
browned  flour,  boil  up ;  pour  half  over  the  liver,  and  send  the 
rest  up  in  a  sauce-boat. 

LAMB  AND  MUTTON. 

When  over  six  months  old  it  is  no  longer  lamb,  even  by 
butcherly  courtesy,  but  young  mutton.  It  begins  to  lose  claim 
to  the  honorable  title  after  two  months  of  terrestrial  life.  In 
this  particular  the  conscience  of  the  meat  vender  is  more  elastic 
than  in  any  other  direction.  The  solid  fact  that  there  is  no  dis- 
grace in  calling  mutton  by  the  right  name  would  seem  to  be  in- 
conceivable to  his  imagination,  and  there  are  housekeepers  who 
survey,  without  winking,  a  leg,  at  spring-lamb  prices,  weighing 
ten  pounds  and  warranted  to  melt  in  the  mouth.  The  fraud 
becomes  palpable  to  eye  and  teeth  when  the  meat  comes  upon 
the  table,  underdone  to  rawness  and  unmasticable. 

Lamb  may  be  cooked  as  soon  as  the  animal  heat  is  fairly  out 
of  it,  and  to  be  at  its  best  must  be  fresh.  Mutton  should  be 
hung  for  several  days  before  it  is  cooked.  Lamb  is  sold,  usu- 
ally, by  the  quarter.  The  hind  quarter,  including  the  heavier 
legs,  are  the  prime  cut.  The  fore-quarter,  including  the  shoul- 
der, costs  less,  and  if  judiciously  cooked,  is  quite  as  palatable. 
The  chops  are  trimmed  from  both  quarters. 

ROAST  LEG  OF  LAMB. 

Put  into  the  covered  roaster,  dash  a  cupful  of  boiling  water 
over  it,  cover  and  cook  about  fifteen  minutes  to  the  pound. 
Twenty  minutes  before  taking  it  up,  take  off  the  cover,  rub  all 
over  with  butter,  dredge  with  pepper,  salt,  and  flour,  and  brown. 

Serve  with  mint  sauce,  and  never  with  made  gravy  from  the 
pan.  Mutton  and  lamb  gravy  from  plain  roasts  tastes  of  tallow. 

Green  pease  are  always  en  regie  as  the  accompanying  vegetable 
with  mutton  and  lamb.  Asparagus  is  the  next  choice. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  I2/ 

ROAST  SHOULDER  OF  LAMB. 

Cook  as  you  would  the  leg,  but  with  more  water  in  the  pan 
and  more  slowly.  When  nearly  done,  baste  plentifully  with  the 
gravy,  and,  five  minutes  later,  with  butter  into  which  a  little 
lemon-juice  has  been  beaten.  Brown  lightly,  after  dredging  with 
salt,  pepper,  and  flour.  Your  object  should  be  to  make  every 
part  of  the  shoulder  eatable,  the  muscles  soft,  and  the  skin  gelati- 
nous. As  usually  served,  the  thin  part  of  the  roast  is  often  hard 
and  distasteful,  more  like  burnt  leather  than  meat. 

You  can  vary  the  dish  by  having  the  bone  of  the  shoulder 
taken  out,  filling  the  cavity  with  a  dressing  of  bread-crumbs  and 
butter,  seasoned  with  pepper  and  salt. 

BRAISED  BREAST  OF  LAMB. 

Lay  a  breast  of  lamb,  or  two  scrags,  in  a  broad  pot,  meat 
downward.  Scatter  over  this  a  sliced  turnip,  a  sliced  onion,  and 
two  sliced  tomatoes,  with  a  little  pepper  and  salt.  Add  less  than 
a  cupful  of  stock,  cover,  and  cook  slowly  one  hour.  Turn  the 
meat  then  and  cook  one  hour  longer,  very  slowly.  When  ten- 
der, but  not  ragged,  brown,  rub  with  butter  and  keep  hot. 
Strain  the  gravy  ;  thicken  with  browned  flour  ;  season,  boil  up, 
and  pour  over  the  meat. 

STUFFED  LEG  OF  MUTTON. 

Have  the  bone  removed,  tearing  as  little  as  possible.  Fill  the 
cavity  with  a  dressing  of  a  cupful  of  bread-crumbs  worked  up 
with  butter,  two  tablespoon fuls  of  finely  minced  almonds,  pepper, 
salt,  parsley,  and  a  little  onion-juice.  Sew  or  tie  up  the  gash,  that 
the  stuffing  may  not  escape.  Have  ready  in  your  roaster  a  carrot 
cut  into  dice,  a  sliced  tomato,  a  small  onion,  minced,  a  stalk  of 
celery,  and  a  little  parsley.  Lay  the  mutton  upon  them,  pour 
over  it  two  cupfuls  of  boiling  water,  cover  closely  and  cook  two 
hours,  basting  four  times.  Remove  the  cover,  brown,  after  basting 
once  with  butter  and  sprinkling  with  pepper,  salt,  and  flour. 


128  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

Rub  the  gravy  through  the  colander,  thicken  with  browned  flour 
and  send  to  table  in  a  boat. 

Mashed  or  stewed  young  turnips  are  a  good  accompanying 
vegetable. 

LAMB  OR  MUTTON  CHOPS. 

Trim  off  the  skin  and  fat  and  scrape  the  bone  bare  for  an  inch 
and  a  half  or  two  inches  from  the  end,  making,  as  it  were  a 
handle  for  the  edible  part  of  the  chop.  Flatten  with  the  potato- 
beetle  or  the  broad  side  of  a  hatchet,  and  broil  quickly  upon  a 
greased  gridiron,  turning  several  times. 

Pepper  and  salt  and  send  in  upon  a  hot  dish,  the  chops  over- 
lapping one  another  neatly. 

Or,  you  may  ring  the  chops  about  a  mound  of  green  pease  or 
mashed  potatoes,  circling  all  with  parsley  os  nasturtiums. 

A  showy  dish  of  chops  is  made  by  twisting  frills  of  fringed 
white  paper  about  the  bare  bone  left  at  the  end  of  each. 

BREADED  CHOPS. 

Trim  and  flatten,  sprinkle  with  salt  and  pepper,  dip  in  egg 
and  then  in  cracker-dust  and  fry  to  a  fine  brown  in  deep  boiling 
fat.  Drain  and  serve  dry  and  hot. 

STUFFED  MUTTON  CHOPS. 

Make  a  white  roux  of  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  and  the  same 
of  flour.  When  it  has  thickened  well,  stir  in  a  scant  half-cupful 
of  stock ;  mix  thoroughly  until  it  bubbles ;  add  half  a  cupful  of 
chopped  almonds,  or,  if  you  prefer,  mushrooms,  and  season  to 
taste.  Boil  up  once  and  let  it  get  cold  and  stiff.  The  chops 
should  be  tender,  juicy,  and  cut  twice  as  thick  as  for  ordinary 
uses.  Split  each  horizontally  clear  to  the  bone,  leaving  that  to 
hold  it  together  and  fill  the  slit  with  the  cold  paste.  Close  the 
sides  upon  it  and  quilt  a  tooth-pick  through  the  edges  to  hold 
them  together  and  broil  slowly  over  clear  coals,  turning  often 
for  ten  minutes.  Withdraw  the  skewers,  and  dish  upon  a  bed  of 
green  pease. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 


CREAMED  CHOPS. 

Real  lamb  is  necessary  if  you  would  have  the  dish  successful. 
Trim  and  broil  them,  sprinkle  with  pepper  and  salt  and  set  them 
aside  until  just  warm  enough  to  handle  comfortably.  Have 
ready  a  stiff,  cold  paste  prepared  as  in  the  last  recipe,  only  sub- 
stituting hot  milk  for  the  stock.  Put  a  spoonful  upon  a  cold 
dish,  lay  a  chop  upon  it  and  enfold  the  meat  in  the  paste,  flat- 
tening and  moulding  with  your  band  and  letting  the  bone  pro- 
ject beyond  the  covering.  Do  this  quickly,  dip  into  beaten 
egg,  then  into  cracker-dust,  and  fry  in  deep,  hot  cottolene. 
Serve  at  once. 

BOILED  MUTTON. 

Plunge  the  meat  into  a  kettle  of  salted  water  that  is  boiling 
hard  ;  leave  it  there  for  fifteen  minutes  and  draw  it  to  the  side  of 
the  range.  After  this  cook  slowly  fifteen  minutes  to  the  pound. 
Half  an  hour  before  you  are  ready  to  serve  it,  drop  in  a  minced 
carrot,  a  turnip,  a  small  onion  —  both  sliced  —  a  stick  of  celery  and 
a  little  parsley,  also  a  sprig  of  mint,  and  let  all  cook  together. 
Take  up  the  meat,  wash  over  with  butter  and  keep  hot.  Strain 
out  enough  of  the  liquor  to  serve  as  a  foundation  for  a  white 
sauce,  and  set  away  the  rest  for  soup  stock. 

Set  the  reserved  liquor  in  cold  water  to  throw  up  the  fat, 
skim,  and  thicken  with  a  white  roux  ;  stir  in  a  great  spoonful  of 
capers  and  serve  in  a  boat.  Lamb  should  never  be  boiled. 

GAME  MUTTON. 

Hang  a  leg  of  mutton  in  the  cellar  for  two  weeks,  washing  it 
all  over  with  vinegar  every  other  day.  When  you  are  ready  to 
cook  it,  rub  it  well  with  lemon-juice,  then  with  a  raw  cut  onion, 
finally  with  salad  oil.  Put  into  your  covered  roaster  with  two 
cups  of  boiling  water,  and  set  in  a  hot  oven  for  half  an  hour. 
Transfer  to  a  cooler  oven  and  cook  steadily  fifteen  minutes  to 
the  pound.  Half  an  hour  before  taking  the  meat  up  baste  plen- 
tifully with  a  cupful  of  the  gravy  in  which  you  have  melted  three 
9 


130  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

tablespoon fu Is  of  currant  jelly.  Use  all  the  jelly  and  gravy. 
Fifteen  minutes  later,  baste  with  butter,  sprinkle  well  with 
pepper,  salt,  and  flour,  and  brown  it  upon  the  upper  grating  of 
the  oven.  Before  doing  this,  pour  off  the  gravy  into  a  bowl  and 
set  in  cold  water  to  make  the  fat  rise.  Skim  this  off,  strain  and 
return  the  gravy  to  the  fire,  thicken  with  browned  flour ;  boil 
up,  add  a  glassful  of  sherry  and  pour  half  of  it  over  the  meat,  the 
rest  into  a  boat.  The  meat  will  have  a  pleasing  flavor  of  vei> 
ison.  Of  course  this  is  a  cold  weather  dish. 

BONED  SHOULDER  OF  MUTTON. 

Have  the  bone  carefully  removed  from  a  rather  lean  shoulder 
of  mutton,  and  fill  the  orifice  thus  left  with  a  good  force-meat. 
To  make  this,  chop  fine  half  a  pound  of  lean  veal  and  a  quarter 
of  a  pound  of  ham,  and  add  to  these  a  small  cupful  of  fine  bread- 
crumbs. Season  with  a  quarter-teaspoonful,  each,  of  ground 
mace,  cloves,  and  allspice,  and  a  saltspoonful  of  black  pepper. 
Stir  in  a  raw  egg  to  bind  the  mixture  together.  When  the 
force-meat  has  been  put  into  the  hole  in  the  shoulder,  sew  up  the 
mutton  in  a  cloth  that  will  close  the  mouth  of  the  opening, 
and  lay  the  meat  in  a  pot  with  the  bone  from  the  shoulder,  a 
peeled  and  sliced  onion,  carrot,  turnip,  a  little  parsley  and 
celery  and  a  bay-leaf.  Pour  in  enough  cold  water  to  cover  the 
mutton  entirely,  stir  in  a  heaping  tablespoonful  of  salt,  and  let  the 
water  come  gradually  to  a  boil  and  simmer  until  the  mutton  has 
cooked  twenty  minutes  to  the  pound.  Let  it  cool  in  the  broth  \ 
take  it  out ;  lay  it  under  a  weight  until  cold,  remove  the  cloth  and 
serve.  This  is  also  very  good  hot.  The  liquor  makes  excellent 
soup. 

STEWED  LAMB  AND  GREEN  PEASE. 

Buy  three  pounds  of  the  coarser  parts  of  the  lamb ;  cut  into 
inch  lengths  and  dredge  with  flour.  Have  ready  in  a  saucepan 
two  tablespoon fuls  of  good  dripping,  and  when  it  hisses  put  in 
half  a  sliced  onion,  and  fry  to  a  light  brown.  Skim  out  the 
onion  and  put  in  the  meat,  cooking  for  five  minutes  and  turning 
often  to  keep  it  from  sticking  to  the  bottom  of  the  pan.  Then 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  131 

add  a  cupful  of  boiling  water,  or  of  weak  stock,  cover  closely 
and  cook  gently  for  one  hour.  Add  then  a  generous  cupful  of 
green  pease.  Canned  will  do,  but  the  fresh  are  better.  Stew 
for  twenty  minutes  longer,  or  until  the  pease  are  tender,  add  a 
tablespoonful  of  brown  roux,  boil  up  once,  and  pour  upon  slices 
of  toast  that  have  been  soaked  in  hot  tomato  sauce.  A  cheap 
and  a  savory  dish. 

IRISH  STEW. 

The  coarser  pieces  of  mutton  or  lamb  may  be  advantageously 
utilized  in  the  manufacture  of  what  is  an  excellent  and  popular 
dish  when  rightly  compounded,  and  a  disgrace  to  civilized  kit- 
chens as  usually  put  together. 

Cut  three  pounds  of  mutton,  which  must  be  lean,  into  pieces 
of  uniform  size,  and  not  more  than  an  inch  square.  Heat 
two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  or  beef  dripping  in  a  saucepan, 
brown  a  large  sliced  onion  in  it  and  put  in  the  meat.  Turn  it 
over  and  over  until  coated  with  the  fat,  and  slightly  browned, 
add  enough  cold  water  to  cover  the  meat  an  inch  deep,  put  on  a 
tightly  fitting  top,  and  stew  two  hours,  or  until  the  meat  is  very 
tender.  Have  ready  in  another  vessel  four  potatoes,  sliced  thin, 
a  carrot  cut  into  dice,  a  tomato  cut  into  bits,  a  stalk  of  celery 
minced,  and  a  tablespoonful  of  chopped  parsley.  Cook  fifteen 
minutes,  drain  off  and  throw  away  the  water,  put  the  parboiled 
vegetables  into  the  stew  and  season  to  taste.  Cook  very  gently 
half  an  hour  longer,  take  up  meat  and  vegetables  with  a  perforated 
spoon  and  arrange  upon  a  flat  dish,  the  meat  in  the  centre,  the 
vegetables  on  the  outside.  Cover  and  keep  hot.  Add  to  the 
gravy  in  the  saucepan  a  cupful  of  canned  or  fresh  pease  boiled 
tender  ("  left-overs  "  will  do),  with  half  a  cupful  of  hot  milk  in 
which  has  been  stirred  a  teaspoonful  of  corn -starch,  cook  five 
minutes  and  pour  over  the  meat  and  vegetables. 

«A  DAINTY  DISH." 

One  dozen  tender  French  chops  (lamb  or  mutton).  Three 
cepes  (large  mushrooms).  Salt,  pepper,  one  beaten  egg. 
Cracker-dust.  Fat  for  frying. 


132  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

Flatten  and  trim  the  chops ;  divide  each  cepe  into  four 
strips,  make  a  hole  with  the  point  of  a  knife  in  the  thickest  part 
of  each  chop  and  thrust  through  it  a  slice  of  the  mushroom. 
Pepper  and  salt,  dip  in  raw  beaten  egg,  coat  with  cracker- 
crumbs  and  set  in  a  cold  place  for  one  hour.  Fry  them  in  deep 
fat  to  a  fine  brown. 

Mrs.  Larned  in  her  useful  and  charming  book,  "The  Little 
Epicure,"  adds  to  what  is  substantially  the  same  recipe  as  this: 
"  Spread  nicely  trimmed  pieces  of  toast  with  pdte-de-foie-gras, 
place  a  chop  on  each  and  serve  with  Madeira  sauce  poured 
around.  Use  butter  instead  of  the  pdte-de-foie-gras  if  you 
prefer." 

In  either  case  it  is  a  "  dainty  dish  to  set  before  a  king,"  or  an 
American  epicure.  To  many  tastes  a  good  tomato  sauce  would 
be  more  acceptable  than  the  Madeira,  but  even  a  veteran  recipe- 
writer  must  suggest  diffidently  when  the  accomplished  woman 
above  quoted  directs. 

BRAISED  MUTTON  CHOPS. 

Heat  two  tablespoonfuls  of  dripping  in  a  frying-pan,  and  fry  a 
sliced  onion  in  it,  then  the  chops.  Lay  them  upon  a  bed  of 
chopped  carrots,  onion,  celery,  turnip,  and  tomato,  in  your  cov- 
ered roaster  and  pour  over  them  the  fat  from  the  pan,  and 
two  cupfuls  of  hot  water  or  weak  stock.  Cover  closely  and  cook 
slowly  for  one  hour.  Turn  the  chops  then,  season  with  pepper 
and  salt,  dust  with  flour  and  let  them  brown,  uncovered,  turning 
once  more  in  fifteen  minutes.  Transfer  to  a  hot  dish,  rub  the 
gravy  and  vegetables  through  a  colander,  boil  up  sharply,  and 
pour  over  the  meat. 

Tough  chops  may  be  made  tender  and  toothsome  by  this 
method. 

LAMB  CHOPS  A  LA  MILANAISE. 

Trim  neatly,  pepper  and  salt,  roll  in  egg  and  cracker -crumbs 
and  fry  in  deep  cottolene.  Lay  on  a  stoneware  or  metal  dish,  and 
cover  on  both  sides  with  finely  grated  Parmesan  cheese.  Set 
upon  the  upper  grating  of  a  hot  oven,  for  three  minutes,  or  hold 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  133 

a  red-hot  shovel  close  above  them  to  melt  or  crisp  the  cheese, 
and  arrange  upon  a  bed  of  spaghetti,  boiled  tender  in  salted 
water,  then  drained  and  seasoned  with  butter,  salt,  and  paprica, 
or  cayenne. 

If  you  like  you  may  pour  over  the  spaghetti,  after  it  is  sea- 
soned, enough  strained  tomato  sauce  to  moisten  it  well,  and  then 
lay  the  chops  in  order  upon  it. 

BARBECUED   LAMB. 

Cut  cold  lamb  into  neat,  thin  slices.  Into  a  rather  deep,  broad 
frying-pan,  put  a  tablespoonful  of  butter,  a  dash  of  cayenne,  salt 
and  pepper,  a  great  spoonful  of  vinegar  and  the  same  of  currant 
jelly,  with  a  small  teaspoonful  of  French  mustard.  Heat  to  boil- 
ing, keeping  your  spoon  busy  all  the  while  until  the  ingredients 
are  thoroughly  incorporated.  Then  lay  in  the  lamb  and  let  them 
get  smoking  hot  through.  Lay  upon  a  hot-water  dish  and  pour 
the  sauce  over  them. 

MINCE-BALLS  OF  LAMB  OR  MUTTON. 

Two  cupfuls  of  cold  meat,  minced  and  cleared  of  gristle  and 
cartilage.  Salt  and  pepper  to  taste  and  a  little  onion-juice. 
Two  eggs.  Two  tablespoonfuls  of  brown  gravy.  Half  a  cupful 
of  fine  bread-crumbs. 

Mix  the  seasoned  meat  with  the  gravy,  work  in  the  bread- 
crumbs, then  the  beaten  egg,  make  into  balls,  roll  in  flour  and 
set  in  a  cold  place  to  stiffen.  When  they  are  firm,  drop 
them  into  boiling  water  or  weak  stock,  carefully,  so  as  not  to 
break  them  ;  draw  the  saucepan  to  the  side  of  the  range,  and  let 
all  stand  for  five  or  six  minutes.  Take  up  gently  with  a  split 
spoon,  arrange  upon  a  hot-water  dish  and  pour  about  them  a  good 
white  or  tomato  sauce,  or  rich  gravy  left  from  any  kind  of  meat. 
The  water  must  not  boil  after  the  balls  go  in. 

MOULD  OF  MUTTON  AND  RICE. 

One  cupful  of  raw  rice.  Two  cupfuls  of  minced  cold  mutton 
or  lamb.  Two  tablespoonfuls  of  gravy  and  as  much  cream.  A 


134  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

stalk  of  celery  chopped  or  cut  fine.  One  egg  beaten  light. 
Pepper  and  salt  to  taste.  One  tablespoonful  of  butter.  Cracker- 
crumbs. 

Boil  the  rice  twenty  minutes  in  hot  salted  water  in  which  you 
have  put  the  chopped  celery.  Drain  dry,  when  the  grains  are 
tender,  but  not  broken,  work  into  the  rice  the  butter,  pepper, 
and  salt,  lastly  the  beaten  egg,  spread  the  paste  upon  a  dish  and 
set  in  a  cold  place  for  a  couple  of  hours.  When  you  are  ready 
for  it,  season  the  chopped  meat  and  wet  with  the  gravy.  Sprinkle 
the  inside  of  a  well-greased  bowl  or  a  tin  mould  with  plain 
sides  with  fine  crumbs,  then  line  with  the  rice  paste.  This  lining 
should  be  an  inch  thick.  Fill  with  the  meat,  cover  with  the  rice 
and  put  into  a  pan  of  boiling  water  in  a  quick  oven,  laying  paper 
or  a  tin  lid  over  the  top.  Keep  the  water  at  a  fast  boil  for  an 
hour ;  set  the  mould  in  cold  water  for  one  minute,  run  a  knife 
around  the  inside  to  loosen  the  contents  and  invert  upon  a  flat 
dish,  shaking  very  gently  to  dislodge  the  rice. 

Send  to  table  with  the  moulded  rice  and  meat,  a  good  sauce  or 
gravy  in  a  boat.  Drawn  butter,  in  which  have  been  beaten  an 
egg  and  a  tablespoonful  of  grated  cheese,  is  good  for  this  purpose, 
as  is  oyster  or  tomato  sauce.  It  is  an  excellent  luncheon-dish. 

Save  the  rice-water,  flavored  with  celery,  for  soup-stock. 

Miniature  moulds,  prepared  like  the  above,  baked  in  pate-pans, 
or  custard-cups,  then  turned  out  upon  a  dish,  with  a  sprig  of 
parsley  in  the  top  of  each,  are  pretty. 

KIDNEYS. 

The  kidneys  of  beef,  veal,  or  lamb,  are  best  for  cooking.  Veal 
and  lamb  kidneys  are  preferable  to  the  coarser  beef.  All  should 
be  fresh  and  plump,  and  free  from  fat.  Cut  out  the  hard,  white 
hearts,  and  lay  the  kidneys  in  cold  water,  slightly  salted,  for  an 
hour  before  proceeding  to  cook  them. 

STEWED  KIDNEYS,  WITH  WDSTE. 

Slice  the  kidneys,  after  they  have  been  soaked  in  cold  water ; 
wipe  dry  and  roll  in  flour.  Have  ready  in  a  saucepan  a  little 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK'  BOOK  135 

butter  in  which  has  been  fried  a  slice  of  onion.  Lay  in  the 
kidneys ;  roll  them  over  and  over,  coating  them  with  the  butter, 
for  two  minutes — no  more — and  pour  in  a  cupful  of  boiling 
water  or  heated  stock.  Simmer  not  longer  than  ten  or  twelve 
minutes.  Take  them  up  and  lay  upon  a  hot  dish ;  add  to  the 
gravy  a  tablespoonful  of  catsup,  a  dash  of  paprica  or  cayenne, 
and  salt,  a  small  tablespoonful  of  butter  that  has  been  rolled  in 
browned  flour,  and  when  it  has  boiled  up,  a  generous  glass  of 
sherry  or  claret.  Pour  over  the  kidneys  and  serve. 

DEVILED  KIDNEYS. 

Slice,  and  take  out  hard  centres  and  fat.  Have  ready,  beaten 
to  a  cream,  a  tablespoonful  of  butter,  an  even  teaspoonful  of 
mustard,  a  pinch  of  paprica  or  cayenne,  a  little  salt,  and  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  lemon-juice.  Melt,  without  really  heating  the  mixt- 
ure ;  coat  each  slice  with  it,  roll  in  cracker-dust,  and  broil,  turn- 
ing often.  They  should  be  done  in  eight  minutes.  Put  a  few 
drops  of  the  deviled  sauce  upon  each,  and  send  to  table. 

KIDNEYS  WITH  BACON. 

Split  lamb  kidneys  in  half  and  fasten  open  with  toothpicks. 
Cook  in  a  frying-pan  thin  slices  of  fat  breakfast  bacon  until  clear, 
but  not  crisped.  Take  up  and  keep  hot  while  you  cook  the  kid- 
neys in  the  bacon-fat,  turning  them  frequently.  Six  minutes 
should  make  them  tender.  Long  cooking  toughens  them.  Ar- 
range upon  thin  slices  of  toast  in  a  dish,  garnish  with  the  bacon, 
add  a  teaspoonful  of  Worcestershire  sauce  to  the  gravy  and  pour 
over  the  kidneys. 

TOASTED  KIDNEYS. 

Cut  each  one  of  three  kidneys  into  three  pieces,  and  lay  upon 
a  very  hot  tin  plate  in  front  of  a  hot  fire,  where  a  clear  glow  will 
fall  upon  them.  Have  ready  thin  slices  of  fat  bacon,  hold  each 
slice  upon  a  fork  close  to  the  red  grate  so  that  the  gravy  will  drip 
upon  a  slice  of  kidney  below.  Having  toasted  all  the  bacon,  lay 
it  upon  a  second  hot  plate,  taking  up  the  first  and  draining  off 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

every  drop  of  gravy  over  the  bacon.  Now,  toast  the  kidneys 
over  the  bacon.  When  no  more  juice  drips  from  each  kidney  it 
is  done.  Lay  each  in  turn  upon  a  slice  of  toast,  in  a  hot  dish, 
garnish  with  the  pork,  sprinkle  with  pepper  and  pour  the  gravy 
over  the  kidneys.  Serve  hot. 

STUFFED  KIDNEYS. 

Split  the  kidneys  lengthwise,  leaving  enough  meat  and  skin  on 
one  side  to  serve  as  a  hinge.  Rub  well  inside  with  melted  but- 
ter, and  broil  them,  back  downward,  over  a  bright  fire  for  eight 
minutes.  Have  ready  a  stuffing  of  bread-crumbs,  cooked  salt 
pork,  parsley  and  butter,  seasoned  with  pepper,  salt,  and  onion- 
juice.  Heat  in  a  saucepan  set  in  another  of  boiling  water,  stir 
in  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon,  fill  the  kidneys  with  the  mixture, 
run  a  toothpick  through  the  outer  edges  or  lips  to  keep  in  the 
stuffing,  pepper  them  and  serve.  Send  around  sauce  piquante 
with  them. 


PORK*      . 

While  fresh  pork  seldom  finds  a  position  upon  the  table  of  the 
housewife  who  aspires  even  to  modest  elegance,  it  still  holds 
a  place  upon  hotel  menus  and  in  the  larders  of  well-to-do  people 
in  certain  sections  of  the  land.  Professors  of  Dietetics  warn  us 
that  hot  pork  is  never  wholesome  at  any  season,  and  occasional 
trichina  and  hog-cholera  scares  lessen  the  consumption  of  it  year 
by  year.  The  fact  remains  that  we  cannot  do  without  juicy 
hams  and  breakfast  bacon  and  the  well-corned  strips  of  fat  salt 
pork  that  season  a  host  of  dishes  as  nothing  else  can.  Sausage 
of  the  best  quality  is  welcome  upon  the  breakfast -table  on  frosty 
mornings,  and  souse  and  scrapple  are  in  great  request  with  com- 
petent judges  of  good  living.  Clearly,  then,  it  is  the  part  of 
wisdom  to  accept  the  inevitable  and  to  make  the  best  of  what 
people  will  have.  If  farmers  and  farmers'  families  depend  upon 
the  pig-sty  for  the  major  part  of  their  meat-supply,  they  should 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  137 

learn  how  to  prepare  pork  for  human  consumption,  and  when 
and  how  to  eat  it. 

Hot  pork  should  never  be  eaten  in  summer,  in  any  form,  and 
in  cold  weather  only  by  those  whose  digestions  are  exceptionally 
strong,  and  who  lead  active  lives.  Much  and  vigorous  exercise 
in  the  open  air  is  required  to  dispose  of  the  carbon  and  oil  sup- 
plied by  this,  the  most  oleaginous  meat  vended  in  the  markets 
of  civilized  countries. 

Pork  should  always  be  thoroughly  cooked.  Underdone  ham 
is  tough,  hard,  and  indigestible ;  rare  fresh  pork  is  disgusting. 
Taste  and  custom  are  at  one  in  this  decision. 

ROAST  PORK. 

The  leg,  the  loin,  the  shoulder,  and  the  chine  are  usually 
roasted,  and  the  method  is  the  same  with  each.  The  skin  is 
scored  in  squares,  or  in  parallel  lines,  the  knife  just  cutting 
through  to  the  flesh.  Put  into  the  roaster,  dash  a  cup  of  boiling 
water  over  it ;  heat  gradually  until  the  fat  begins  to  run,  when 
quicken  the  fire.  Baste  often  and  abundantly,  that  the  skin 
may  be  tender,  even  when  crisp.  Allow  at  least  twenty  minutes 
to  the  pound. 

The  old-fashioned  Virginia  cook — and  there  were  none  better 
in  her  day — rubbed  well  into  the  deep  lines  made  by  the  knife 
in  the  rind  a  force-meat  of  crumbs,  sage  and  onions,  seasoned 
with  pepper,  salt,  a  little  grated  lemon-peel,  and  the  juice  of  a 
lemon.  This  was  done  before  the  meat  went  into  the  oven  and 
the  cracks  were  well  filled.  Do  not  send  made  gravy  in  with  the 
meat.  It  is  little  better  than  lard,  unless  left  to  stand  for  at  least 
an  hour  and  then  skimmed.  Pass  apple  sauce  with  roast  pork 
when  you  can  get  it,  or  Chili  sauce,  or  catsup,  or  a  good  bread 
sauce.  Sharp  condiments  go  well  with  it  and  arouse  the  diges- 
tive organs  to  their  work. 

PORK  CHOPS. 

Cut  off  the  skin,  trim  neatly  and  dip  in  beaten  egg,  then  in 
cracker- crumbs  seasoned  with  salt,  pepper,  powdered  sage,  and 


138  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

finely  minced  onion.  Set  in  a  cold  place  for  an  hour  or  more 
and  fry  in  hot  fat,  turning  often,  for  at  least  twenty  minutes. 
Send  in  dry  and  hot,  and  pass  apple  sauce  with  them. 

PORK  STEAKS  AND  TENDERLOINS. 

Broil  over  a  clear  fire,  turning  every  two  minutes  for  twenty 
or  twenty-five  minutes.  Lay  upon  a  hot  dish  and  dust  with 
pepper  and  salt  and  powdered  sage.  Sprinkle  with  onion-juice 
and  with  lemon-juice,  and  drop  bits  of  butter  here  and  there. 
Cover  closely  over  hot  water  for  ten  minutes  before  sending  to 
table. 

SPARE  RIB. 

Cook  exactly  as  you  would  pork  steaks,  also  pork  cutlets. 

PORK  POT-PEE. 

Cut  two  pounds  of  lean  pork  into  pieces  an  inch  long  and  half 
an  inch  wide  ;  cover  with  cold  water,  put  in  some  thin  slices  of 
peeled  lemon,  a  little  chopped  parsley  and  minced  celery,  and  stew 
slowly  half  an  hour.  Add,  then,  four  potatoes,  sliced  very  thin 
and  parboiled  for  ten  minutes  in  another  vessel.  Season  with 
pepper  and  salt  and  dredge  in  a  tablespoonful  of  flour.  A  table- 
spoonful  of  catsup  is  an  improvement.  Cover  closely  and  cook 
until  the  meat  is  ready  to  drop  to  pieces.  Stir  in  a  tablespoon- 
ful of  butter,  rolled  in  flour,  boil  up  and  put  the  pork  into  a 
covered  deep  dish,  leaving  the  gravy  in  the  saucepan.  Have 
ready  some  strips  of  biscuit-dough,  two  inches  long  and  half  an 
inch  wide,  drop  them  into  the  boiling  gravy  and  cook  ten  min- 
utes. Lay  half  of  them  across  the  meat  in  one  direction,  the 
rest  in  another,  making  squares  all  over  it ;  pour  in  the  gravy 
gently  and  send  to  table. 

Or— 

You  can  cut  the  biscuit-dough  round  with  a  cake-cutter  and  bake 
these  rounds  in  the  oven  by  the  time  the  pork-stew  is  done.  Put 
meat  and  gravy  upon  a  deep  platter  and  cover  with  the  hot  bis- 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  139 

cults  laid  closely  together.     They  are  more    wholesome    than 
boiled  dough. 

YORKSHIRE  PORK-PIE. 

Chop  lean  pork  somewhat  coarsely  ;  butter  a  pudding-dish 
and  line  with  a  good  paste ;  put  in  the  pork  interspersed  with 
minced  onion  and  hard-boiled  eggs,  cut  into  bits  and  sprinkle 
with  pepper,  salt,  and  powdered  sage.  Now  and  then  dust  with 
flour  and  drop  in  a  bit  of  butter.  When  all  the  meat  is  in, 
dredge  with  flour  and  stick  small  pieces  of  butter  quite  thickly  all 
over  it.  Cover  with  puff- paste,  cut  a  slit  in  the  middle  of  the  crust 
and  bake  half  an  hour  for  each  pound  of  meat.  When  it  begins 
to  brown,  wash  the  crust  with  the  white  of  an  egg.  It  will  give 
a  fine  gloss  to  it. 

BOILED  HAM. 

The  best  ham  to  select  is  one  weighing  from  eight  to  ten 
pounds.  Take  one  that  is  not  too  fat,  to  save  waste.  Soak  all 
night ;  wash  it  carefully  before  you  put  it  on  to  boil,  removing 
rust  or  mould  with  a  small,  stiff  scrubbing-brush.  Lay  it  in  a 
large  boiler  and  pour  over  it  enough  cold  water  to  cover  it.  To 
this  add  a  bay-leaf,  half  a  dozen  cloves,  a  couple  of  blades  of 
mace,  a  teaspoonful  of  sugar,  and,  if  you  can  get  it,  a  good 
handful  of  fresh,  sweet  hay.  Let  the  water  heat  very  gradually, 
not  reaching  the  boil  under  two  hours.  It  should  never  boil 
hard,  but  simmer  gently  until  the  ham  has  cooked  fifteen  min- 
utes to  every  pound.  It  must  cool  in  the  liquor,  and  the  skin 
should  not  be  removed  until  the  meat  is  entirely  cold,  taking  care 
not  to  break  or  tear  the  fat.  Brush  over  the  ham  with  beaten 
egg,  strew  it  thickly  with  very  fine  bread-crumbs,  and  brown  in 
a  quick  oven.  Arrange  a  frill  of  paper  around  the  bone  of  the 
shank,  and  surround  the  meat  with  water-cress,  or  garnish  the 
dish  with  parsley. 

BREADED  HAM. 

Boil  as  above  directed.  Brush  the  top  with  beaten  egg  and 
sift  over  it  cracker-dust  in  a  thick,  even  coat.  Set  in  the  oven 
to  brown  and  let  it  get  perfectly  cold  before  it  is  carved. 


140  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


STUFFED  HAM, 

Soak  the  ham  over  night  and  scrub  well  in  the  morning.  Run 
a  narrow  sharp  knife  along  the  bone,  loosening  the  meat  for  the 
whole  length  ;  shake  and  pull  the  bone  while  doing  this  until 
you  can  withdraw  it.  Then  dig  out  the  flat  bone  from  the  butt- 
end  of  the  ham.  With  a  fair  degree  of  patience  the  process  is 
not  difficult.  Fill  the  cavity  left  by  the  bones  with  a  stuffing  of 
bread-crumbs,  seasoned  with  pepper,  butter,  onion,  and  Worces- 
tershire sauce.  Pack  it  in  well  and  sew  the  ham  tightly  into 
shape  in  mosquito-netting.  Cover  with  cold  water  in  which 
have  been  stirred  two  tablespoon fuls  of  vinegar,  and  cook 
twenty  minutes  to  the  pound  after  the  boil  begins.  Leave  the 
ham  in  the  water  until  it  is  lukewarm,  take  it  out  and  put  to 
press  under  an  inverted  dish  with  a  heavy  weight  on  top.  Leave 
it  thus  for  eight  or  ten  hours ;  take  off  the  cloth,  and  then  the 
skin.  Dot  the  top  with  black  pepper,  or  Hungarian  sweet  red 
pepper  (paprica)  using  the  tip  of  the  middle  finger  to  make  the 
impressions.  If  you  can  arrange  the  dots  in  a  pattern  the  effect 
will  be  pleasing.  Send  to  table  surrounded  by  a  garland  of  as- 
paragus tops  and  nasturtium  flowers,  or  parsley  and  marigolds. 
This  is  a  delightful  preparation  of  ham,  suitable  for  luncheon  or 
Sunday  evening  suppers. 

BAKED  HAM. 

Soak,  wash,  and  parboil  the  ham,  twelve  minutes  to  the  pound. 
Skin  as  soon  as  you  can  handle  it,  and  stanch  the  flow  of  juices 
by  rubbing  flour  into  it.  Put  into  a  good  oven  ;  slice  an  onion, 
mince  a  carrot  and  a  fresh  tomato,  and  lay  about  the  meat,  pour 
in  half  a  cupful  of  hot  water  to  prevent  burning,  cover  closely, 
and  bake  twelve  minutes  to  the  pound.  During  this  time  baste 
the  ham  four  times  with  Madeira  or  sherry  or  other  pale  wine, 
using  two  glasses  in  all,  and  four  times  with  the  pan-gravy.  Have 
ready  some  browned  cracker-crumbs  and  sift  them  thickly  over 
the  ham  when  done.  Leave  it  in  the  oven  until  firm  and  evenly 
colored. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  141 

If  the  ham  is  eaten  hot,  make  a  sauce  by  rubbing  the  gravy 
through  a  colander  and  thickening  it  with  browned  flour.  If 
cold,  put  aside  the  pan-liquor  for  sauce  for  some  other  dish.  It 
is  too  good  to  be  wasted. 

Champagne  sauce  is  an  excellent  accompaniment  to  baked 
ham. 

SUNNYBANK  HAM  AND  EGGS. 

Mince  cold  ham  finely  and  moisten  it  with  sharply  seasoned 
stock,  well  thickened.  (There  is  nothing  better  for  this  purpose 
than  the  pan-liquor  described  in  the  last  recipe.)  Heat  in  a 
saucepan  ;  beat  in  a  raw  egg  to  bind  it,  form  into  a  long-oval 
mound  upon  a  hot  dish,  and  set  in  a  moderate  oven  until  a  slight 
crust  forms  upon  it.  Have  ready  six  eggs  that  have  been  boiled 
for  twenty-five  minutes,  then  left  in  cold  water.  Take  off  the 
shells,  cut  the  whites  into  thin  circles,  and  rub  the  yolks  through 
a  sieve  to  powder.  Take  the  mounded  ham  from  the  oven  and 
cover  all  over  with  the  powdered  yolks.  Arrange  the  white 
rings  closely  about  the  bottom,  and  outside  of  these  a  garland  of 
parsley.  The  contrast  of  the  golden  bank  and  white  and  green 
base  is  pleasing  and  uncommon.  It  can  be  eaten  cold  or  hot. 

SMOTHERED  HAM. 

Soak,  scrub,  and  trim  away  all  the  blackened  underside  until 
the  meat  shows  clean  and  red.  Wash  with  vinegar,  rubbing  it 
in  well.  Cover  the  underside  with  a  paste  of  flour  and  water, 
and  lay  upside  down  in  your  roaster.  Pour  about  it  two  cup- 
fuls  of  cold  water  and  two  tablespoon fu Is  of  vinegar  ;  stir  in  a 
tablespoonful  of  sugar  and  the  same  of  minced  onion.  Cover 
closely  and  bake  in  a  moderate  oven  twenty-five  minutes  to  the 
pound.  Baste  five  times  to  keep  the  paste  from  scaling  off. 

Skin,  and  remove  the  paste  while  hot,  sift  fine  cracker-crumbs 
over  the  top,  and  brown  in  a  quick  oven.  It  is  best  cold. 

BROILED  HAM. 

Cut  thin,  wash  well,  and  lay  in  a  frying-pan  full  of  warm — not 
hot — water.  Bring  slowly  to  scalding,  take  from  the  fire,  and, 


142  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

covering  closely,  leave  in  the  water  for  half  an  hour.  Pour  off 
the  water  and  cover  the  ham  with  boiling  water.  Let  the  meat 
stand  covered  in  this  fifteen  minutes,  and  transfer  to  cold. 
After  five  minutes  pour  this  off  and  wipe  the  ham  dry.  Broil 
over  clear  coals,  dust  with  pepper,  and  serve. 
Cold  boiled  ham  is  better  than  raw  for  broiling. 

FRIED  HAM. 

If  raw,  soak  as  for  broiling.  Fry  it  in  its  own  fat  until  the 
fat  is  clear  and  begins  to  curl  and  crisp  at  the  edges.  Serve 
dry  after  peppering  it. 

BREADED  HAM,  SAUTE. 

Cut  cold  boiled  ham  into  rather  thick  slices,  cover  with  a  mixt- 
ure of  pepper,  olive  oil,  and  mustard;  dip  in  egg,  then  in 
cracker-crumbs,  and  set  in  a  cold  place.  Fry  slices  of  fat  bacon 
or  pork  crisp,  take  them  out  and  put  the  breaded  ham  into  the 
hissing  fat.  Turn  when  the  lower  side  is  brown  and  cook  the 
upper. 

Garnish  with  hard-boiled  eggs  cut  in  slices,  serving  a  slice 
upon  each  portion  of  ham. 

This  dish  is  appetizing  and  a  welcome  variety  in  the  monot- 
ony of  country-fare  when  "  butcher's  meat  "  is  hard  to  get. 

BARBECUED  HAM. 

Fry  slices  of  cold  boiled  ham  in  their  own  fat ;  remove  from 
the  pan  to  a  hot-water  dish  and  pour  over  them  a  sauce  made  by 
adding  to  the  gravy  left  in  the  pan  two  tablespoon fuls  of  vine- 
gar, the  same  of  sherry,  a  half  teaspoonful  of  made  mustard,  a 
teaspoonful  of  sugar,  and  a  dash  of  paprica  or  cayenne,  just 
heating  these  to  a  boil.  Cover  the  dish  and  let  meat  and  sauce 
stand  together  for  a  minute  before  serving. 

HAM  AND  EGGS. 

If  the  ham  be  raw,  soak  it  as  before  directed.  If  cooked,  it 
needs  no  other  preparation  than  cutting  it  evenly  into  slices  of 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  143 

uniform  size.  Fry  these  in  their  own  fat  until  the  fat  is  clear  and 
curling  ;  lay  in  order  upon  a  hot  platter  and  keep  warm  while 
you  break  the  eggs,  one  by  one,  into  the  hot  fat  left  in  the  pan. 
Three  minutes  should  cook  them.  If  you  wish  "  turned  eggs," 
cook  two  minutes,  then  slip  a  bread-knife  or  a  spatula  under 
each  and  turn  it  dexterously  to  cook  one  minute  longer.  Serve 
an  egg  upon  each  slice  of  ham. 

BACON  AND  EGGS 

are  cooked  as  above. 

FRIED  BREAKFAST-BACON. 

This  is  growing  fast  into  universal  favor  as  a  staple  breakfast- 
dish.  It  is  so  simple  and  so  quickly  made  ready  it  seems  odd 
enough  that  it  should  so  seldom  be  set  before  the  listless  or  eager 
breakfaster  at  its  best  estate. 

To  begin  with,  it  can  hardly  be  cut  too  thin,  certainly  not  by 
any  knife  at  the  command  of  the  average  cook.  It  should  be  as 
thin  as  writing-paper  made  for  foreign  correspondence,  and  the 
rind  be  pared  away  before  themeai  is  cooked.  Heat  the  frying- 
pan,  lay  in  the  bacon,  and  as  soon  as  the  slices  cook  clear,  turn 
them.  They  should  be  hardly  discolored  by  the  fire  when  you 
serve  them,  dry  and  hot,  upon  a  heated  platter. 

BROILED  HAM  AND  EGGS. 

If  the  sliced  ham  be  raw,  soak  as  for  fried  ham.  Broil  over  a 
clear  red  fire  for  from  three  to  five  minutes,  and  arrange  upon  a 
hot  platter.  Heat  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  to  hissing  in  a  frying- 
pan,  but  not  until  it  colors,  and  drop  the  eggs  carefully  into  it. 
Cook  three  minutes,  lift  with  the  spatula  and  lay  upon  the 
broiled  ham.  Dust  both  with  pepper,  and  serve. 

HAM  AND  POTATO  BALLS. 

Work  into  two  cupfuls  of  mashed  potatoes  pepper  and  salt  to 
taste,  a  teaspoonful  of  flour,  and  the  beaten  yolk  of  an  egg.  Set 
aside  until  cold  and  stiff ;  take  a  tablespoonful  in  the  hollow  of 


144  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

your  floured  hand  and  shape  it  into  a  cup.  Put  into  the  centre 
a  tablespoonful  of  minced  ham,  seasoned  with  pepper  and  mus- 
tard, enfold  it  with  the  potato,  roll  over  and  over  until  you 
have  a  round,  smooth  ball,  dip  into  beaten  egg,  then  into 
cracker-crumbs,  and  set  in  a  cold  place  until  stiff.  Cook  in 
deep  boiling  fat. 

HAM  PATES, 

Chop  cold  lean  ham  fine,  season  with  onion-juice,  pepper, 
minced  parsley,  and  catsup ;  moisten  with  good  stock,  and  stir 
over  the  fire  until  smoking-hot.  Have  at  hand  pastry  forms  or 
cups,  heated,  and  fill  with  the  mixture. 

Or— 

Fill  pate-pans,  or  fire-proof  china  "nappies"  with  the  hot 
mince,  put  a  raw  egg  upon  each,  and  set  in  a  quick  oven  until 
the  white  is  "  set."  Serve  in  the  nappies. 

BOILED  PIGS'  FEET. 

Wrap  each  cleaned  foot  up  in  coarse  cotton  cloth,  wind  a 
string  about  it  from  top  to  bottom  to  keep  the  bandage  in  place, 
and  when  all  are  ready  cover  them  deep  in  boiling  water  in 
which  has  been  stirred  a  tablespoonful  of  vinegar.  Cook  four 
hours  and  let  them  get  cold  in  the  water.  The  feet  are  now 
ready  for  pickling  or  frying. 

If  you  wish  to  use  them  without  other  preparation,  unroll, 
dish  them,  and  pour  over  them  the  following  sauce : 

Heat  four  tablespoon fuls  of  vinegar  to  a  boil  with  a  table- 
spoonful  of  minced  onion,  the  same  of  chopped  parsley  arid  of 
capers,  a  saltspoonful  each  of  salt  and  pepper  and  half  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  made  mustard.  When  they  have  simmered  together 
three  minutes,  take  from  the  fire  and  beat  slowly  into  four 
tablespoonfuls  of  oil.  When  you  have  a  creamy  sauce,  set  in 
boiling  water  until  hot  and  pour  upon  the  feet.  Cover  them 
closely  and  set  over  boiling  water  for  ten  minutes  before  they 
are  served. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  145 


BREADED  PIGS'  FEET. 

Boil  as  directed,  and  let  them  get  cold  in  the  cloths.  Undo, 
pepper  and  salt,  roll  in  egg,  then  in  cracker-crumbs,  and  fry  to 
a  nice  brown.  Serve  with  sauce  tartare. 

PIG'S  LIVER  AND  BACON. 

Slice  the  liver  and  lay  in  cold  water  for  half  an  hour  to  draw 
out  the  blood.  Wipe  perfectly  dry,  salt  and  pepper  and  flour 
well.  Fry  slices  of  thin,  fat  bacon  clear ;  take  them  out  and  cook 
in  the  same  fat  a  sliced  onion.  Strain  the  fat,  return  to  the  pan, 
and  when  it  hisses  lay  in  the  floured  slices  of  liver  and  fry  to  a 
good  brown. 

It  should  be  better  known  that  pigs'  livers,  as  well  as  those  of 
lambs  and  even  young  mutton,  are  nearly  as  good  when  well- 
cooked  as  calf's  liver,  and  cost  much  less. 

Any  of  the  recipes  that  deal  with  calf  s  liver  may  be  applied  to 
those  just  mentioned. 

SAUSAGES. 

If  you  use  the  sausages  in  skins,  prick  these  with  a  needle  in 
several  places  to  prevent  bursting,  put  them  into  a  frying-pan 
with  just  enough  cold  water  to  cover  them,  and  let  them  simmer 
gently  until  the  water  has  dried  up.  The  sausages  will  then  be 
done,  and  neither  scorched  nor  broken  to  pieces. 

If  your  sausage-meat  is  in  bulk,  make  into  flat  cakes,  roll  in 
flour  and  saute  in  a  very  little  fat.  As  soon  as  the  sausages  be- 
gin to  cook  they  will  supply  all  that  is  needed. 

BREADED  SAUSAGES. 

Put  raw  sausage-meat  into  a  tin  pail  with  a  closely  fitting  top 
and  set  in  a  pot  of  boiling  water.  Cook  half  an  hour  to  the 
pound  and  let  it  get  cold  in  the  pot.  When  you  are  ready  to 
cook  it,  make  into  balls  or  cakes  or  croquettes ;  roll  in  egg,  then 
in  cracker-crumbs  ;  let  them  stand  for  some  hours  in  a  cold  place, 
and  fry  in  deep  boiling  fat. 


146  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

These  are  more  wholesome  than  the  ordinary  fried  sausage, 
and  especially  nice  as  garnishes  for  other  dishes,  such  as  roast 
turkey  and  chicken. 

APPLES  AND   BACON. 

Fry  slices  of  breakfast-bacon  or  salt  pork  until  clear  ;  take 
them  up  and  keep  hot.  Have  ready  firm,  tart  apples,  sliced 
crosswise,  without  paring  or  coring,  and  fry  them  in  the  hot  fat 
left  by  the  bacon.  They  must  be  tender,  but  not  broken,  when 
done.  Take  from  the  fat  with  a  split  spoon,  shake  off  all  cling- 
ing drops,  and  lay  upon  a  hot  dish.  Sift  fine  sugar  over  them 
and  garnish  with  the  bacon. 

Send  around  corn-bread  or  brown  bread  with  them. 

PORK  AND  BEANS. 

Soak  the  beans  over  night  in  cold  water,  changing  this  in  the 
morning  for  warm,  an  hour  later  for  hot.  Put  over  the  fire  half 
an  hour  afterward,  in  boiling  salted  water,  and  cook  until  tender, 
but  not  broken.  Drain  them  then,  and  put  into  a  deep  dish  or 
bean-pot,  bury  a  piece  of  pork  (parboiled)  in  the  centre.  Stir 
into  a  large  cupful  of  boiling  water  half  a  teaspoonful  of  dry  mus- 
tard, half  as  much  extract  of  celery  or  celery-salt,  and  a  table- 
spoonful  of  molasses,  and  pour  this  over  the  pork  and  beans. 
Cover  closely,  set  in  the  oven  and  bake  slowly  from  four  to  six 
hours  according  to  the  size  of  the  pot. 

This  is  a  Massachusetts  recipe,  and  there  is  no  better  for  the 
preparation  of  an  ancient  and  honorable  dish.  In  olden  times 
the  bean-pot  stood  all  of  Saturday  night  in  the  brick  oven,  and 
was  in  mellow  prime  at  breakfast-time  on  the  Sabbath  day. 

Serve  Boston  brown  bread  with  it  always.  The  two  are  in- 
dissolubly  wedded. 

APROPOS   TO   LARD. 

The  old-fashioned  housekeeper  may  have  observed  the  marked 
omission  in  these  pages  of  the  word  "  lard,"  even  in  recipes  call- 
ing for  fat.  While  we  believe  that  THE  NATIONAL  COOK  BOOK 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  147 

is  not  singular  in  this  respect,  we  feel  that  we  owe  it  to  our  sister 
housewives  to  explain  why  in  the  years  which  have  elapsed  since 
the  issue  of  former  works  which  did  contain  directions  for  the 
manufacture  and  the  use  in  the  kitchen  of  lard,  we  have  had  good 
and  sufficient  reasons  for  excluding  it  from  our  own  kitchens  and 
for  declining  to  commend  the  lard  of  commerce  to  our  constitu- 
ents. 

Apart  from  the  fact  that  lard,  unadulterated  and  properly  made, 
is  less  wholesome  than  vegetable  oils,  and  absolutely  pernicious 
to  many  stomachs,  no  intelligent  reader  of  the  daily  papers  and 
medical  reports  can  shut  his  eyes  to  the  recognized  practices  of 
certain  manufacturers  of  "  kitchen  lard  "  and  the  possibilities  of 
similar  iniquities  in  every  such  business  throughout  the  country. 
It  is  not  enough  that  hog-cholera  and  trichina,  in  the  animal 
legitimately  slaughtered  and  put  upon  the  market,  make  doubtful 
the  quality  of  the  fat  tried  out  even  by  respectable  and  conscien- 
tious firms.  It  is  an  open  secret  that  hundreds  of  hogs  which 
have  died  in  transitu  from  farm  to  factory,  "  of  disease,  thirst,  and 
exposure,"  are  made  to  yield  their  lard,  and  that  this  is  unblush- 
ingly  put  upon  the  market  for  household  use. 

A  prominent  lard  manufacturer  is  reported  as  saying  in  defence 
of  the  practice : 

"As  it  goes  through  the  boiling  process  and  boiling  fat  rises 
to  the  highest  possible  heat,  there  can  be  no  mischievous  germs 
left  in  the  lard,  even  supposing  the  animal  had  died  of  cholera  or 
other  disease." 

Leaving  this  statement  to  speak  for  itself,  we  remark  simply 
that  not  a  pound  of  lard  per  year  is  consumed  in  our  kitchens,  and 
that  we  conscientiously  advise  the  use  in  public  and  in  private  of 
almost  any  other  fat. 

Butter  is  expensive  in  the  hands  of  hirelings,  and  the  salt  makes 
it  objectionable  for  such  purposes  as  greasing  moulds,  etc.  Really 
good  dripping  from  beef,  veal,  or  chicken,  while  eligible  in  some 
cases,  is  unfit  for  frying  delicately  flavored  foods,  and  cannot  be 
used  for  shortening  biscuits,  pastry,  and  the  like.  Olive  oil,  while 
excellent  in  a  large  majority  of  cases  where  frying  and  sauteing 


148  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

are  prescribed,  is  expensive  when  of  prime  quality,  and  objection- 
able when  less  than  prime. 

It  is  but  fair  to  those  in  whose  behalf  we  have  prepared  this 
manual  to  mention  that  we  have  found,  after  several  years  of 
faithful  testing  and  trusting,  cottolene  to  be  liable  to  fewer  ob- 
jections and  to  combine  more  advantages  than  any  other  fat  of 
which  we  have  practical  knowledge.  It  is  a  compound  of  vege- 
table oil  and  a  smaller  proportion  of  the  best  beef-suet,  and  is,  we 
believe,  entirely  free  from  any  deleterious  substance  whatsoever. 
It  is  inexpensive,  it  gives  out  no  unpleasant  odor,  and  for  frying 
and  "shortening"  is  far  more  satisfactory  than  even  honest, 
home-made  lard  at  its  best  estate. 

Cottolene,  as  the  directions  accompanying  each  can  state,  must 
always  be  put  into  a  cold  frying-pan  and  brought  slowly  to  the 
boil.  When  this  is  done  there  is  no  danger  of  spluttering  or 
scorching. 


POULTRY. 

AFTER  forty  years  of  active  housekeeping  one  housemother 
would  deliberately  record  her  conviction  that  there  is  but  one 
satisfactory  method  of  securing  the  appearance  of  tender  fowls 
upon  her  table.  When  your  poultry-merchant  sells  you  chickens 
tender  under  the  wings,  with  smooth,  white  complexions,  hair- 
less, and  altogether  promising,  according  to  the  best  authorities, 
yet  which  come  to  table  tough  and  tightly  jointed — take  your 
custom  to  another  man,  and  let  him,  as  well  as  the  discarded, 
because  dishonest,  vendor,  know  just  why  you  do  it. 

Some  of  the  fairest  fowls  in  our  town  angl  country  markets  are 
artistically  "  doctored"  and  might  delude  the  most  experienced 
purchaser.  The  deception  is  the  less  excusable  because  every 
tolerably  skilful  cook  can  make  a  tough  bird  tender  and  eat- 
able by  processes  known  even  to  humble  followers  of  the  craft. 
It  is  cruel  to  allow  her  to  treat  a  two-year  old  as  she  would  a 
half-yearling,  and  reap  disappointment  as  the  result  of  her  gener- 
ous confidence  in  the  poulterer. 

Fowls  should  always  be  dressed  and  drawn  by  the  poulterer 
before  they  are  sent  home.  When  it  is  not  done,  the  duty  of 
the  cook  upon  receipt  of  the  birds  is  to  empty  the  bodies  forth- 
with of  offal  and  giblets.  These  are  first  to  spoil,  and,  in  spoil- 
ing, taint  the  flesh.  The  gizzard  should  be  cut  open  and 
cleaned,  and,  with  the  liver  and  heart,  be  put  over  the  fire  in 
boiling  salted  water.  Boil  fifteen  minutes  and  let  them  get 
cold  in  the  water.  Take  out,  wipe,  sprinkle  with  salt  and 
pepper,  and  keep  in  a  cool  place  until  they  are  needed  for  gravy 
or  soup. 

Wash  the  fowl  out  with  cold  water  three  times,  dissolving  a 


1 50  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

little  soda  in  the  first  water,  then  rinsing  thoroughly.  Wipe 
perfectly  dry  inside  and  out,  and  dust  the  cavity  of  the  body 
with  pepper.  Hang  now  in  a  cool  place  until  you  are  ready  to 
cook  it. 

CHICKEN. 

ROAST  CHICKEN. 

Wash  thoroughly  and  wipe  dry  within  and  without.  Stuff  the 
hollow  in  the  body,  also  the  craw,  with  a  force-meat,  but  do  not 
pack  it  in.  It  will  ooze  out  or  distend  the  fowl  into  a  clumsy 
shape,  or  become  so  clammy  as  to  be  unfit  to  eat.  Sew  up  the 
body  and  draw  the  skin  covering  the  craw  up  to  the  neck,  fasten- 
ing it  there  with  a  cotton  cord  wound  tightly  about  the  neck- 
bone.  Bind  the  legs  and  the  wings  close  to  the  body  with  tape 
or  cotton  cord.  Unless  the  fowl  is  very  fat,  lay  a  few  slices  of 
fat  bacon  or  pork  in  the  pan  and  the  chicken  upon  them.  Pour 
a  scant  cupful  of  boiling  water  over  it ;  put  on  the  lid  of  the 
roaster  and  cook  quite  fast  for  fifteen  minutes,  afterward  more 
moderately,  fifteen  minutes  to  the  pound.  Baste  every  half 
hour  if  you  use  the  covered  roaster,  every  ten  minutes  if  you 
cook  it  in  an  open  dripping-pan.  Each  time  pour  at  least  ten 
large  spoonfuls  of  gravy  over  the  fowl.  A  quarter  of  an  hour 
before  you  dish  it  wash  it  all  over  with  butter,  pepper  and  salt 
it  well,  and  dredge  it  with  flour.  Take  off  the  cover  of  the 
roaster  and  brown.  Dish  and  keep  warm  while  you  make  the 
gravy. 

Chop  the  giblets  fine,  rejecting  the  cartilage ;  stir  a  spoonful 
of  browned  flour,  wet  with  cold  water,  into  the  baking-pan 
gravy,  boil  up,  season  to  taste,  add  the  giblets,  and  pour  into  a 
boat. 

For  the  stuffing  use  a  cupful  of  fine  bread-crumbs  (cracker- 
dust  will  not  do)  moistened  with  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  and 
seasoned  with  pepper,  salt,  and  parsley.  Do  not  flavor  it  with 
thyme  or  sage  or  onion.  These  are  disagreeable  to  many  tastes 
and  help  to  give  the  "  dressing  "  of  fowls  the  reputation  of  un-. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  15  I 

wholesomeness.     Moreover,  they  mar  the  flavor  of  the  delicate 
meat. 

The  English  truss  a  roasting  chicken  with  the  liver  under  one 
wing,  and  esteem  this  "  liver-wing  "  a  choice  morsel  in  carving 
and  distributing  the  bird. 

BOILED  CHICKEN. 

A  chicken  over  a  year  old  should  always  be  boiled  or  steamed 
or  fricasseed. 

As  a  rule  a  boiled  fowl  is  better  without  stuffing.  Cleanse 
thoroughly,  truss  neatly,  sew  up  in  a  piece  of  mosquito-netting 
or  coarse  cheese-cloth,  fitted  to  the  shape,  and  cover  deeply  with 
boiling  salted  water  to  which  has  been  added  a  tablespoonful  of 
vinegar.  Cook  gently  twenty  minutes  to  the  pound.  It  should 
not  reach  the  boil  in  less  than  half  an  hour.  If  really  tough, 
put  on  in  cold  water,  after  trussing  and  sewing  it  up,  add  a 
little  vinegar  to  it,  and  heat  so  slowly  that  it  does  not  boil  in  the 
first  hour.  After  it  begins  to  simmer,  cook  twenty  minutes  to 
the  pound  and  never  let  it  boil  fast.  A  bit  of  fat  salt  pork 
dropped  into  the  pot  at  the  end  of  the  first  hour  and  cooked 
with  it  will  restore  much  of  the  richness -lost  by  the  use  of  cold 
water. 

Unwrap,  draw  out  the  threads,  and  dish,  pouring  four  spoon- 
fuls of  egg  sauce  over  the  breast  and  serving  the  rest  in  a  boat. 
Send  around  boiled  rice  with  it. 

BOILED  CHICKEN  AND  RICE. 

Cook  as  in  the  last  recipe.  Half  an  hour  before  dishing  the 
fowl  dip  out  a  great  cupful  of  the  gravy,  season  well,  and  stir  in 
a  beaten  egg.  Boil  a  cupful  of  raw  rice  fast  in  two  quarts  of 
salted  water  with  a  stalk  of  celery  cut  into  four  pieces,  for  ten 
minutes ;  drain  and  shake  in  a  colander ;  pick  out  the  bits  of 
celery,  put  the  rice  into  a  saucepan  and  cover  with  the  hot 
chicken-gravy.  Set  in  a  pan  of  boiling  water  over  the  fire  and 
cook  gently  for  fifteen  minutes,  or  until  the  rice,  in  swelling, 
has  absorbed  all  the  gravy.  Each  grain  of  rice  should  remain 


I  $2  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

whole.  Rice  paste  is  abhorrent  to  a  just  taste.  Make  a  border 
of  the  rice  about  the  chicken  when  dished,  and  help  a  little 
with  each  portion  of  chicken.  , 

BOILED  CHICKEN  AND  OYSTERS. 

Prepare  in  the  usual  way  and  stuff  with  raw  oysters  cut  in 
half,  peppered  and  salted,  with  a  few  bits  of  butter  among 
them.  Sew  up  in  cheese-cloth  and  boil  twenty  minutes  to  the 
pound.  Undo  the  cloth,  and  dish,  with  oyster  sauce  poured 
over  them. 

FRIED  CHICKENS. 

Cut  up  a  pair  of  young  chickens,  as  for  fricassee.  Lay  in 
cold  water  for  one  minute,  and,  without  wiping  them,  pepper 
and  salt  each  piece  ;  roll  in  flour  and  fry  in  hot  fat  to  a  fine 
brown.  Pile  upon  a  hot- water  dish  ;  fry  whole  bunches  of 
green  parsley  in  the  lard  and  lay  over  and  about  them.  This 
is  the  famous  fried  chicken  of  the  South. 

Or— 

Fry  thin  slices  of  fat  bacon  crisp  in  a  hot  pan,  take  them  out 
and  set  aside.  Cook  the  chicken  prepared  as  above  in  the  fat 
left  in  the  frying-pan.  Dish  the  chicken,  laying  the  fried  bacon 
about  it  as  a  garnish,  cover  and  keep  hot.  Stir  into  the  gravy 
over  the  fire  a  tablespoonful  of  flour  until  it  begins  to  brown, 
and  into  this,  gradually,  a  cup  of  cream  or  milk  heated  in  an- 
other vessel  with  a  tiny  bit  of  soda  in  it.  Continue  to  stir 
until  the  mixture  is  smooth  ;  add  a  heaping  teaspoonful  of  minced 
parsley,  and  pour  over  the  chicken. 

This  is  Maryland  Fried  Chicken  with  Cream  Gravy. 

FRICASSEED  CHICKEN  (WHITE). 

Otherwise  incurably  tough  fowls  can  be  made  manageable  by 
teeth  and  digestive  organs  in  this  way : 

Clean,  wash,  wipe,  and  joint  neatly.  This  dissection  is  an 
art  to  be  studied,  much  of  the  comeliness  of  the  dish  depending 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOfC  I  S3 

upon  it.  Cut  with  a  sharp  knife  every  joint  apart  from  the 
rest,  the  breast  into  two  pieces,  the  back  into  three.  Arrange 
in  layers  in  a  broad  pot,  sprinkling  between  these  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  minced  onion  and  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  chopped 
fat  salt  pork,  sprinkle  with  pepper  and  chopped  parsley,  and 
just  cover  with  cold  water.  The  giblets  should  be  stewed  with 
the  rest  of  the  fowl.  Cover  closely  and  set  at  the  side  of  the 
range,  until  in  about  an  hour  (no  sooner)  the  pot  begins  to 
simmer.  Set  it  then  where  the  heat  is  stronger,  but  not 
where  it  will  boil  hard,  and  stew  quietly  until  the  chicken 
is  tender.  If  tolerably  young  this  will  happen  in  an  hour  from 
the  date  of  the  first  simmer.  Old  fowls  sometimes  take  three, 
and  even  four,  hours,  but  they  are  bound  to  succumb  finally  to 
the  persuasive  influence  of  the  gentle  boil,  provided  they  never 
reach  a  hard,  rapid  ebullition  for  one  minute  while  on  the  fire. 

Old  fowls,  yellow  of  skin,  hairy,  obdurate  of  muscle,  and  with 
iron-clad  breast-bones  must  be  treated  according  to  their  de- 
serts. Allow  them  all  the  time  there  is,  keep  down  the  boil, 
and  victory  is  sure. 

When  tender  take  out  of  the  gravy  and  dispose  neatly  upon 
a  hot  ,dish.  Cover  and  keep  warm.  There  is  probably  more 
gravy  in  the  pot  than  you  need  for  sauce.  One  good  cupful  is 
all  you  want.  Pour  off  the  surplus  and  set  aside  for  stock. 
Never  waste  so  much  as  a  thimbleful.  Stir  into  what  is  left  in 
the  pot  a  cupful  of  hot  milk  (not  forgetting  the  pinch  of  soda)  in 
which  has  been  well  mixed  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  cut  up  with 
one  of  flour.  Let  all  boil  up  once,  and  pour  gradually  upon 
two  beaten  eggs  in  a  bowl.  Without  returning  to  the  fire,  pour 
over  the  chicken  and  serve. 

Always  pass  rice  in  some  shape  with  fricasseed  chicken. 

FRICASSEED  CHICKEN  (BROWN), 

Clean,  wash,  wipe,  and  joint  as  already  directed.  Fry  a 
dozen  slices  of  fat  pork  in  a  broad  pot,  then  a  sliced  onion  until 
brown,  lastly  the  jointed  chicken  dredged  with  flour.  Turn 
the  pieces  often  to  brown  them  equally.  When  they  are  well 


154  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

colored  add  just  enough  hot — not  boiling — water  to  prevent 
burning.  If  you  have  a  little  stock  or  consomme  it  is  better 
still.  Half  a  cupful  is  enough.  Cover  closely  and  cook  slowly 
until  tender. 

Lay  the  chicken  in  order  upon  a  dish,  cover  and  keep  hot 
while  you  stir  into  the  gravy  two  tablespoonfuls  of  brown  roux 
and  a  teaspoonful  of  caramel  for  coloring,  with  paprica  and 
minced  parsley  to  taste.  Boil  up  and  pour  over  the  chicken. 

SMOTHERED  CHICKEN. 

Split  down  the  back  as  for  broiling  and  lay,  breast  upward,  in 
your  covered  roaster.  Dust  with  pepper  and  salt  and  pour  in  a 
cupful  of  boiling  water  or  weak  stock  or  consomme.  Cover 
closely,  and  cook  gently  fifteen  minutes  to  the  pound  if  young, 
twenty  if  the  subject  be  a  year  old.  If  it  is  over  the  latter  age, 
cook  it  in  some  other  way.  Lift  the  cover  when  the  chicken  is 
half  done,  and  turn  it  over  to  cook  the  other  side.  Ten  minutes 
before  taking  it  up  turn  the  breast  upward  again,  baste  well  with 
gravy,  then  with  butter,  dredge  with  flour  and  cover  again,  with 
the  valve  open,  to  brown.  Take  up  and  dish  the  chicken, 
thicken  the  gravy  with  brown  roux,  season  to  taste,  and  pour  a 
few  spoonfuls  over  the  fowl,  the  rest  into  a  boat. 

The  flavor  of  the  chicken  is  better  preserved  by  this  process 
than  by  any  other  known  to  cooks.  Therefore  the  simpler  the 
seasoning  the  better. 

BRAISED  CHICKEN. 

Lay  in  the  bottom  of  your  roaster  a  carrot,  cut  into  dice,  a 
sliced  onion,  a  small  young  turnip,  also  sliced,  a  stalk  of  celery, 
minced,  a  tablespoonful  of  chopped  parsley,  and  three  table- 
spoonfuls  of  minced  salt  pork.  Upon  this  prepared  bed  put  the 
chicken,  trussed  as  for  roasting,  but  not  stuffed.  Over  all  pour 
two  cupfuls  of  boiling  water ;  cover  so  tightly  that  little  or  no 
steam  can  escape,  and  cook  twenty-five  minutes  to  the  pound. 
If  the  fowl  be  decidedly  tough  make  this  half  an  hour  to  each 
pound,  or  more.  Open  the  roaster  but  once  ;  when  you  judge 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  1 55 

the  chicken  to  be  half  done,  baste  it  well ;  try  the  breast  with  a 
larding-needle  or  a  skewer  to  see  how  it  is  getting  on  and  leave 
it  again.  Fifteen  minutes  before  taking  it  up  rub  over  with 
butter  and  dredge  with  flour  to  brown  it.  When  done,  dish  and 
keep  hot;  rub  the  gravy  through  a  colander,  thicken  with  a 
little  browned  flour,  boil  up,  and  serve  in  a  boat. 

This,  also,  is  a  capital  use  to  which  you  may  put  an  aged 
fowl. 

BROILED  CHICKEN. 

Clean,  wash,  wipe,  and  split  down  the  back,  leaving  the  breast 
intact.  Sprinkle  with  salt  and  pepper  and  wash  all  over  with 
melted  butter  or  salad  oil.  Grease  a  perfectly  clean  broiler  and 
lay  the  chicken  upon  it,  breast  Upward.  Put  a  tin  cover  or  an 
inverted  pan  over  it  until  the  juices  dropping  upon  the  red  coals 
below  threaten  to  smoke  it.  Lift  the  broiler  now  and  then  to 
avoid  this,  and  broil  about  ten  minutes  to  the  pound.  When 
half  done,  turn  to  cook  the  upper  side.  Remove  to  a  hot 
platter,  and  anoint  generously  with  a  great  spoonful  of  butter 
mixed  with  a  teaspoonful  of  lemon-juice  and  as  much  minced 
parsley.  Serve  hot. 

Garnish  with  curled  parsley  or  water-cresses. 

DEVILED  FRIED  CHICKEN. 

Prepare  as  for  frying  in  the  usual  way,  jointing  it  neatly,  and 
lay  for  fifteen  minutes  in  a  bath  of  oil,  lemon-juice,  paprica,  salt, 
and  mustard.  Rub  the  mixture  in  well  and  roll  in  flour.  Fry 
in  boiling  deep  fat,  drain  and  serve  upon  a  hot  folded  napkin, 
or  upon  three  thicknesses  of  tissue-paper  fringed  at  the  ends. 
Garnish  with  cresses,  and  serve  with  a  piquante  sauce  or  with 
mayonnaise. 

ROAST  FRIED  CHICKEN. 

Joint,  dust  with  salt  and  pepper,  dip  in  beaten  egg,  then  in 
salted  and  peppered  cracker-dust.  Have  two  tablespoonfuls  of 
butter  in  a  baking-pan ;  lay  the  chicken  in  it,  and,  covering 
closely,  roast  in  the  oven  for  half  an  hour,  or  until  nicely 


156  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

browned.     Send  to  table  dry  and  hot,  and  pass   a  good  white 
sauce  with  it. 

CHICKEN  BAKED  WITH  HAM. 

Prepare  as  for  roasting,  stuff  and  truss;  then  wrap  in  thin 
slices  of  cold  boiled  corned  ham.  Bind  the  ham  closely  to  the 
fowl  with  cotton  string,  put  into  a  covered  roaster,  pour  in  half 
a  cupful  of  hot  consomme,  or  if  you  have  none,  or  stock  of  any 
kind,  butter  and  water;  sprinkle  with  onion  and  parsley; 
cover  and  cook  slowly,  twenty  minutes  to  the  pound.  Uncover 
and  baste  four  times.  When  a  skewer  comes  out  easily  and 
clean  from  the  Abreast,  take  the  chicken  up,  undo  the  wrappings 
of  ham,  lay  the  fowl  upon  a  hot  platter  with  the  ham,  cut  into 
strips  about  it,  and  keep  hot. 

Thicken  the  gravy  with  a  brown  roux,  pepper,  add  three 
tablespoon fuls  of  chopped  mushrooms,  boil  up  once,  and  send  to 
table  in  a  boat.  The  flavor  of  the  chicken  will  be  very  fine. 

CHICKEN  CUTLETS. 

Chop  cold  chicken  fine ;  season  with  onion -juice,  celery  salt, 
pepper,  and  chopped  parsley.  For  two  cupfuls  allow  a  cupful 
of  cream  or  rich  milk.  Heat  this  (with  a  bit  of  soda  stirred  in) 
in  a  saucepan,  and  thicken  with  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  rubbed 
in  one  of  corn-starch,  stirred  in  when  the  cream  is  scalding. 
Cook  one  minute,  put  in  the  seasoned  chicken,  and  cook  until 
smoking-hot.  Beat  two  eggs  light ;  take  the  boiling  mixture 
from  the  fire  and  add  gradually  to  these.  Pour  into  a  broad  dish 
or  agate-iron  pan  and  set  in  a  cold  place  until  perfectly  chilled 
and  stiff.  Shape  with  your  hands,  or  with  a  cutter,  into  the 
form  of  cutlets  or  chops.  Dip  in  egg,  then  in  cracker-crumbs, 
set  on  the  ice  for  an  hour  or  two,  and  fry  in  deep  boiling  fat. 

Send  around  white  sauce  with  them. 

CHICKEN  AND  MACARONI  A  LA  MILANAISE. 

Boil  in  the  usual  way  and  without  stuffing ;  unwrap  and  carve 
into  eleven  pieces  with  a  keen  knife.  Arrange  these  neatly  upon 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  157 

a  flat  stoneware  or  other  fire-proof  platter,  the  white  meat  at  one 
end,  the  dark  at  the  other,  and  cover  them  with  pipe  macaroni, 
or  spaghetti,  broken  into  short  lengths,  and  boiled  clear,  but  not 
until  they  break,  in  boiling,  salted  water,  or,  better  still,  in  some 
of  the  pot-liquor  in  which  the  chicken  was  cooked.  In  either 
case  boil  an  onion  in  the  liquor,  removing  it  when  you  take  up 
the  macaroni.  Conceal  the  mound  'of  chicken  completely  with 
this,  sift  Parmesan  cheese  all  over  it,  set  in  the  oven  until 
browned,  and  serve  in  the  platter. 

Another  excellent  device  for  disposing  of  a  tough  fowl. 

DEVILED  CHICKEN  WITH  OYSTER  SAUCE. 

Cut  cold  boiled  chicken  into  neat  pieces,  an  inch  and  a  half 
long  and  half  as  wide,  and  all  as  nearly  as  possible  of  the  same 
size.  Cover  with  oil  and  lemon-juice  and  let  them  stand  in  the 
refrigerator  two  hours.  Then  sprinkle  with  pepper,  salt,  and 
a  dust  of  dry  mustard,  dip  in  egg  and  cracker-crumbs,  set  aside 
for  an  hour,  or  until  stiff,  and  fry  to  a  light  brown. 

Heat  a  cupful  of  strained  oyster-liquor  to  boiling,  skim,  season 
to  taste,  and  thicken  with  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  rubbed  in 
one  of  corn-starch.  Boil  up,  stirring  all  the  while,  add  a  table- 
spoonful  of  cream  and  a  beaten  egg.  Half  fill  nappies  or  shallow 
custard-cups  with  the  sauce,  lay  a  piece  of  chicken  upon  it,  and 
pass  while  hot.  Eat  from  the  nappies. 

TEVEBALES  OF  CHICKEN. 

Chop  very  fine  the  meat  of  an  uncooked  roasting  fowl,  or 
a  broiler.  The  meat  must  be  almost  like  powder.  Stir  a  pinch 
of  soda  into  four  tablespoonfuls  of  sweet  cream  with  salt  and 
white  pepper.  Beat  stiff  the  whites  of  three  eggs.  Mix  the 
meat  with  the  cream  and  beat  in  the  frothed  whites.  Butter  well 
enough  nappies  or  timbale-moulds  to  hold  the  mixture,  set  in  a 
pan  of  boiling  water  ;  cover  the  pan  and  bake  fifteen  minutes  in  a 
quick  oven.  Turn  out  upon  hot  plates,  and  pour  about  each  a 
good  white  sauce.  Serve  immediately,  as  they  soon  fall. 


158  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

CHICKEN  PIE. 

Cut  two  fowls  into  joints  ;  put  them  on  in  enough  cold  water 
to  cover  them  and  stew  very  slowly  at  the  side  of  the  fire  until 
tender.  Take  out  the  meat ;  add  to  the  gravy  a  grated  onion,  a 
bay  leaf,  a  stalk  of  celery,  two  or  three  sprigs  of  parsley,  pepper, 
and  salt.  Let  all  simmer  together  for  an  hour,  and  set  the  sauce- 
pan aside.  Arrange  the  chicken  neatly  in  a  large  pudding-dish, 
pour  over  it  the  highly  seasoned  gravy,  and  cover  all  with  pastry 
made  by  the  recipe  given  below.  Bake  to  a  delicate  brown. 

PASTRY  FOR  CHICKEN  PIE, 

Two  pounds  of  sifted  flour  ;  one  and  a  half  pound  of  butter ; 
iced  water  enough  to  make  a  stiff  paste. 

Have  bowl,  chopping-knife,  butter,  and  flour  well  chilled  be- 
fore beginning  work.  Chop  the  butter  into  the  flour,  and  when 
the  bits  of  butter  are  the  size  of  pease  pour  in  the  iced  water,  mix 
it  with  the  chopping-knife  into  a  rough  paste,  and  turn  it  out  on 
the  board  together  with  any  scraps  of  butter  that  have  not  been 
worked  in.  Roll  it  out  quickly  into  a  sheet  about  half  an  inch 
thick.  Flour  lightly,  fold  it  in  three,  turn  the  rough  edges 
toward  you,  and  roll  out  again.  Repeat  this  process  three  times, 
handling  the  pastry  just  as  little  as  possible.  Set  it  on  the  ice  for 
an  hour  at  least  before  using. 

ENGLISH  CHICKEN  PIE. 

Take  a  pair  of  young,  tender  chickens  and  cut  them  into  neat 
joints.  Lay  them  in  a  deep  pudding-dish,  arranging  them  so 
that  the  pile  shall  be  higher  in  trie  middle  than  at  the  sides.  Re- 
serve the  pinions  of  the  wings,  the  necks,  and  the  feet,  scalding 
the  latter  and  scraping  off  the  skin.  Make  small  force-meat  balls 
of  fine  bread-crumbs  seasoned  with  pepper,  salt,  parsley,  a  sus- 
picion of  grated  lemon-peel,  and  a  raw  egg.  Form  this  into  little 
balls  with  your  hands,  and  lay  them  here  and  there  in  the  pie. 
Pour  in  a  cupful  of  cold  water,  cover  the  pie  with  a  good  crust, 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  159 

making  a  couple  of  cuts  in  the  middle  of  this,  and  bake  in  a 
steady  oven  for  an  hour  and  a  quarter.  Lay  a  paper  over  the  pie 
if  it  should  brown  too  quickly.  Soak  a  tablespoonful  of  gelatine 
for  an  hour  in  enough  cold  water  to  cover  it.  Make  a  gravy  of 
the  wings,  feet,  and  necks  of  the  fowls,  seasoning  it  highly ;  dis- 
solve the  gelatine  in  this,  and  when  the  pie  is  done  pour  this 
gravy  into  it  through  a  small  funnel  inserted  in  the  opening  in 
the  top.  The  pie  should  not  be  cut  until  it  is  cold,  when  the 
meat  will  be  found  embedded  in  jelly.  This  is  a  delicious  dish. 

CASSEROLE  OF  CHICKEN. 

A  hungry  man  seeking  his  luncheon  went,  not  long  ago,  to  a 
certain  French  restaurant  noted  for  its  rare  combination  of  ad- 
mirable cookery  and  reasonable  charges.  There,  moved  by  a 
happy  inspiration,  he  ordered  and  ate  a  casserole  of  chicken.  It 
was  exceedingly  good — so  good  that  he  went  home  and  described 
the  dish  to  his  wife  with  an  eloquence  that  moved  her  to  do  her 
best  to  reproduce  the  dainty. 

She  sought  through  countless  cook-books  for  the  directions  she 
needed,  and  found  recipes  many  for  casseroles  of  various  sorts. 
Some  were  in  the  shape  of  meat-loaves,  some  took  the  forms  of 
moulds  of  rice  or  potato  filled  with  minced  chicken,  fish,  or 
meat.  Dish  after  dish  she  prepared,  following  with  what  con- 
sistency she  could  the  combined  directions  of  the  cook-books  and 
her  husband,  but  in  vain.  The  casserole  eluded  her  efforts.  To 
complete  her  discouragement,  none  of  the  notable  cooks  consulted 
could  offer  any  satisfactory  suggestions. 

At  last,  however,  one  of  the  least  of  them,  who  had  never  be- 
fore had  anything  approaching  an  original  idea,  was  visked  by  a 
lucky  thought.  This  she  at  once  proceeded  to  put  into  practice. 
Selecting  for  her  companion  a  bon-vivant  who  possessed  a  fine  talent 
for  culinary  analysis,  she  went  to  the.  restaurant  where  the  chef- 
d'oeuvre  had  been  found  and  ordered  casserole  of  chicken.  The 
two  ate  and  studied  and  compared  impressions  and  devised  for- 
mulae, and  finally  exercised  financial  blandishments  upon  the 
head- waiter  and  the  chef. 


160  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

When  the  seekers  for  knowledge  left  the  restaurant  they  bore 
with  them  lightened  purses,  satisfied  appetites,  and  an  air  of  tri- 
umph. But  the  most  valuable  acquisition  was  a  bit  of  paper, 
upon  which  was  jotted  down,  in  kitchen  French  and  in 
the  chef  s  own  Gallic  handwriting,  the  outline  of  the  longed- 
for  recipe,  and  here  it  is,  reduced  to  the  American  kitchen 
idiom. 

Select  a  plump  spring  chicken,  clean  it,  and  truss  it  as  for 
roasting.  Place  in  a  casserole  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter,  a 
carrot,  and  an  onion  (both  cut  into  slices),  two  bay -leaves,  and  a 
sprig  of  thyme.  Set  the  casserole  on  top  of  the  stove  for  about 
ten  minutes,  or  until  the  vegetables  are  lightly  browned  in  the 
butter.  Pour  in  then  a  pint  of  well-seasoned  consomme,  cover 
the  casserole  closely,  put  it  into  the  oven,  and  braise  the  chicken 
for  three-quarters  of  an  hour.  If  it  is  not  young  and  tender  it 
will  require  longer.  Ten  minutes  before  the  time  is  up  add  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  sherry  or  madeira,  and  cover  again.  At  the  end 
of  the  three-quarters  of  an  hour  drop  into  the  gravy  a  dozen  or 
more  small  potato-balls  which  have  been  cut  from  the  raw  potato 
with  a  Parisian  cutter  and  then  browned,  or  saute  in  butter.  At 
the  same  time  add  an  equal  number  of  French  champignons. 
Season  the  gravy  with  pepper  and  salt,  and  leave  the  cover  off 
the  casserole  that  the  chicken  may  brown.  This  should  take  ten 
or  fifteen  minutes.  After  removing  it  from  the  oven,  sprinkle 
finely  minced  parsley  over  the  chicken,  and  send  it  to  table  in 
the  casserole. 

The  genuine  French  casseroles  are  hard  to  find  in  this  country, 
and  the  imported  ones  are  very  expensive.  For  the  benefit  of 
those  who  do  not  possess  these  utensils  already,  it  may  be  stated 
that  any  deep  earthenware  pudding-dish  with  a  closely  fitting 
cover  will  serve  as  a  substitute.  There  is  a  little  curio-shop  in 
New  York  where  a  feature  is  made  of  Mexican  and  Moorish  pot- 
tery, and  here  may  be  found  delectable  covered  pudding-dishes, 
of  a  light  terra-cotta  ware,  which  are  cheap,  artistic,  and  will 
stand  any  amount  of  heat.  These  are  more  ornamental  than  the 
imported  casseroles,  and  infinitely  preferable  to  the  ugly  earthen- 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  l6l 

ware  saucepans  sold  by  that  name.  The  only  essential  differ- 
ence lies  in  the  handles,  the  Mexican  dish  having  a  pair  of  them 
instead  of  the  single  short  one  found  on  the  regular  casserole. 

FRICASSEE  OF  CHICKEN  A  LA  REDSTE. 

Joint  a  pair  of  young  chickens,  and  put  them  on  the  fire  in  a 
large  saucepan  with  a  quart  of  cold  water.  Let  it  come  to  a 
boil  slowly ;  when  it  reaches  this  point  put  in  a  couple  of  stalks 
of  celery,  three  or  four  sprigs  of  parsley,  a  bay-leaf,  and  a  couple 
of  slices  of  onion.  Season  with  a  tablespoonful  of  salt  and  a 
scant  teaspoonful  of  pepper.  Simmer  for  half  an  hour,  closely 
covered.  As  soon  as  the  chicken  is  done — test  it  with  a  fork 
— take  it  from  the  gravy,  and  keep  it  warm  over  hot  water 
while  you  make  the  sauce.  Cook  together  in  a  saucepan  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  butter  and  two  of  flour  until  they  bubble ;  do 
not  allow  them  to  brown ;  when  they  bubble  add  to  them 
slowly,  stirring  constantly,  a  pint  of  the  strained  gravy  of  the 
chicken.  Let  this  boil  for  about  two  minutes.  Mix  in  another 
bowl  the  yolks  of  two  eggs,  three  tablespoonfuls  of  milk,  a  table- 
spoonful  of  melted  butter,  and  a  tiny  pinch  of  red  pepper,  and 
add  this  carefully,  almost  drop  by  drop,  to  the  hot  sauce,  stirring 
all  the  time.  Do  not  let  the  sauce  boil  again,  but  when  it  is 
thoroughly  mixed  put  in  a  teaspoonful  of  lemon-juice ;  pour  the 
sauce  over  the  chicken  and  serve  it  at  once. 

HUNGARIAN  CHICKEN. 

Joint  a  fowl  as  for  fricassee ;  put  it  on  the  fire  in  enough 
cold  water  to  cover  it ;  bring  it  to  a  boil  slowly,  and  cook  until 
tender.  Unless  the  chicken  is  quite  young  this  should  require 
from  two  to  three  hours.  When  it  has  been  simmering  about  an 
hour  put  in  a  sliced  onion,  two  stalks  of  celery,  three  sprigs  of 
parsley,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  paprica — the  Hungarian  red  pepper. 
When  the  chicken  is  done,  arrange  it  in  a  dish ;  add  to  the 
gravy  salt  to  taste  and  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon,  and  pour  it  over 
the  chicken. 

ii 


1 62  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

TURKISH  CHICKEN  WITH  RICE. 

Cut  up  a  spring  chicken  as  for  fricassee,  and  put  it  on  the 
stove  in  a  saucepan  with  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  and  a  minced 
onion.  When  the  pieces  are  lightly  browned,  which  should  be 
in  about  ten  minutes,  add  a  gill  of  tomato-liquor  and  a  pint  of 
weak  chicken-stock,  which  should  have  been  made  from  the 
neck,  feet,  giblets,  and  wing- tips  of  the  fowl.  Bring  this  to  a 
boil.  Wash  and  pick  over  a  cupful  of  raw  rice,  stir  it  into  the 
broth,  and  cook  all  together  for  twenty  minutes,  or  until  the  rice 
is  soft.  Ten  minutes  before  it  is  done  add  two  tablespoonfuls  of 
grated  Parmesan  cheese  and  a  dozen  French  mushrooms.  Be- 
fore taking  from  the  fire,  season  to  taste  with  salt  and  pepper. 
Serve  very  hot. 

JELLIED  CHICKEN. 

Take  off  every  bit  of  skin  and  cut  the  meat  into  pieces  of  as 
nearly  uniform  size  as  you  can  manage.  Boil  four  eggs  for 
twenty-five  minutes  and  lay  them  in  cold  water  for  half  an  hour, 
then  peel  and  cut  into  neat  round  slices.  Cut  stoned  or  stuffed 
olives  into  halves.  Butter  a  mould  or  bowl  well,  and  line  with 
alternate  rows  of  the  egg-circles  and  the  split  olives,  the  rounded 
sides  of  the  olives  outward.  Put  a  layer  of  the  chicken  into  the 
mould,  seasoning  with  pepper  and  salt ;  cover  with  cold  and 
slightly  coagulated  jelly  (aspic)  ;  set  in  a  cold  place  for  ten  min- 
utes ;  put  in  another  layer  of  seasoned  chicken,  more  aspic,  and 
so  on  until  the  mould  is  full.  Now  and  then  add  a  few  bits  of 
chopped  egg  and  an  occasional  caper.  Set  on  ice,  in  warm 
weather,  until  you  are  ready  to  use  it,  when  wrap  a  towel,  wrung 
out  in  boiling  water,  about  the  mould  and  invert  upon  a  cold 
platter. 

ASPIC  JELLY  FOR  THE  FOREGOING  RECIPE. 

Soak  half  a  box  of  gelatine  in  cold  water  enough  to  cover  it 
for  two  or  three  hours.  Boil  and  clear  with  white  of  egg,  then 
strain  through  flannel  two  cupfuls  of  the  liquor  in  which  the 
chicken  was  boiled,  or,  if  you  lack  this,  the  same  quantity  of 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  163 

good  consomme,  which  will  not  need  straining.  It  should  be 
rather  highly  seasoned.  Take  from  the  fire  and  stir  in  the  gela- 
tine ;  bring  to  a  boil,  let  it  cook  one  minute,  and  stir  in  four 
tablespoonfuls  of  tarragon  vinegar  if  you  wish  a  tart  aspic.  If 
not,  omit  it.  Set  aside  in  a  broad  bowl  to  cool. 

Claret  gives  a  fine  color  and  a  pleasant  taste  to  aspic.  Some 
fancy  that  a  little  sherry  improves  the  flavor,  more  epicures 
object  to  the  somewhat  faint  "  tang  "  it  imparts. 

MOULD  OF  CHICKEN  AND  RICE. 

Boil  a  cupful  of  boiled  rice  in  chicken  or  other  stock,  seasoned 
well  with  pepper,  salt,  onion-juice,  and  celery.  Cook  twenty 
minutes  hard  in  the  stock,  which  should  boil  when  the  rice  is 
dropped  in.  Drain  the  rice  dry,  beat  up  a  raw  egg  in  it  while 
hot,  and  let  it  get  cold  and  stiff.  Then  line  with  it  a  well- 
greased  mould  which  has  been  thickly  strewn  with  fine  crumbs. 
The  rice-lining  should  be  nearly  an  inch  thick  and  hollowed  out 
with  the  hand.  Fill  with  cold  chicken,  minced  and  well  sea- 
soned, put  a  layer  of  rice  on  the  top,  cover  with  a  tightly  fitting 
lid,  set  in  a  pot  or  pan  of  hot  water  and  cook  one  hour.  Turn 
out  upon  a  hot  platter  and  serve  with  curry  or  tomato  sauce. 

MARSEILLES  BOILED  CHICKEN  PUDDING. 

Chop  cold  chicken  fine,  and  mix  it  up  with  a  cupful  of  well- 
seasoned  drawn  butter  for  two  cupfuls  of  meat.  Better  still,  if 
you  have  a  cupful  of  good  stock  or  gravy,  add  to  it  a  few  spoon- 
fuls of  cream,  thicken  to  the  consistency  of  starch  and  moisten 
the  chicken  well  with  this.  Beat  in  the  yolk  of  an  egg,  and,  if 
convenient,  two  tablespoonfuls  of  pounded  almonds  or  of  pine- 
nuts.  The  mixture  should  be  creamy  and  soft.  Let  it  get  cold 
and  stiff;  line  a  pudding-mould  that  has  a  close  top  with  light 
biscuit-dough,  or  with  family  pie-crust,  fill  with  the  chicken,  put 
the  crust  over  the  top,  fit  on  the  lid,  and  boil  for  one  hour,  or 
steam  for  an  hour  and  a  half. 

Turn  out  upon  a  hot  dish  and  serve  egg  sauce  or  a  good  gravy 
with  it.  It  must  be  eaten  as  soon  as  it  is  turned  out. 


164  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 


TO  BROIL  A  COLD  CHICKEN. 

Split  down  the  back  and  lay,  breast  uppermost,  upon  a  plate  ; 
pour  over  and  rub  into  it  a  marinade  of  four  tablespoonfuls  of 
olive  oil  and  one  of  lemon-juice.  Invert  a  plate  over  it,  put  a 
heavy  weight  upon  the  upper  plate  and  set  aside  for  two  hours. 
Then  rub  all  over  well  with  the  oil  and  lemon-juice,  dip  in  egg, 
then  in  fine  crumbs,  set  on  the  ice,  or  in  a  cold  place  for  an 
hour,  and  broil  over  a  clear,  but  not  fierce,  fire,  turning  often. 

Send  in  a  made  gravy  of  the  chopped  giblets  and  a  large 
spoonful  of  chopped  champignons,  added  to  a  cup  of  boiling 
stock  and  thickened  with  a  brown  roux. 

CHICKEN  SCALLOP. 

Mix  two  cupfuls  of  well-seasoned  cold  chicken  with  a  cupful 
of  boiling  oyster-liquor ;  bring  to  a  boil,  add  a  cupful  of  hot  milk 
thickened  with  a  great  spoonful  of  butter  rolled  in  one  of  flour, 
and  take  from  the  fire.  Stir  in  a  tablespoon ful  of  chopped  al- 
monds or  of  chopped  champignons,  and  the  pounded  yolks  of 
two  hard-boiled  eggs.  Butter  a  pudding-dish ;  cover  the  bot- 
tom with  a  thick  layer  of  crumbs,  peppered,  salted,  and  buttered  ; 
pour  in  the  mixture ;  cover  with  another  layer  of  fine  crumbs, 
pepper,  salt,  and  stick  bits  of  butter  all  over  it,  and  cook,  cov- 
ered, for  half  an  hour,  then  uncover  and  brown  lightly. 

You  can  cook  turkey  or  lamb  or  duck  in  the  same  way,  sub- 
stituting a  good  stock  or  a  white  sauce  for  the  oyster-liquor. 

CHICKEN   CROQUETTES. 

Make  a  mixture  precisely  as  above  directed  ;  let  it  get  cold, 
make  into  croquettes,  roll  in  egg,  then  in  cracker-crumbs,  and 
set  away  for  several  hours  to  get  stiff.  Fry  in  deep,  hot  cottolene 
and  serve  dry.  Pass  green  pease  with  them. 

CHICKEN  AND  SWEETBREAD  CROQUETTES. 

Stir  one  cupful  of  minced  cold  chicken  and  the  same  of  sweet- 
breads, boiled  and  blanched,  into  a  good  drawn  butter,  or  four 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  165 

tablespoon fuls  of  chicken-stock  thickened  with  two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  white  roux.  Heat  in  a  vessel  set  in  another  of  boiling 
water ;  when  hot  all  through  take  from  the  fire,  add  half  a  cup- 
ful of  hot  cream  (with  a  bit  of  soda  stirred  in)  and  the  beaten 
yolks  of  two  eggs.  Mix  well,  set  in  a  cold  place  until  solid  ; 
make  into  croquettes  ;  egg  and  bread  them  ;  set  on  ice  for  an 
hour  and  fry  in  deep,  hot  cottolene. 

CHICKEN  FILLING  FOR  PATES. 

One  cupful  milk,  one  tablespoonful  butter,  one  tablespoonful 
flour,  salt,  pepper,  and  a  pinch  of  mace ;  juice  of  half  a  small  lemon. 

Cook  the  flour  and  butter  together  until  they  bubble,  and 
pour  the  milk  upon  them,  stirring  until  you  have  a  thick,  white 
sauce.  Set  the  vessel  containing  it  in  an  outer  saucepan  of  boil- 
ing water  and  stir  into  it  a  cupful  of  the  white  meat  of  chicken, 
cut,  not  chopped,  with  a  sharp  knife,  into  small  pieces.  Let  it 
get  hot  through  before  filling  the  pastry-shells. 


TURKEY. 

Turkeys  are  so  near  akin  to  chickens  that  the  directions  for 
roasting  and  boiling  the  latter  may  be  used  with  hardly  an  alter- 
ation for  the  former.  The  same  time — about  fifteen  minutes  to 
the  pound  if  the  fowl  be  tolerably  tender — is  observed  in  cook- 
ing both  kinds  of  poultry.  The  same  kinds  of  rechauffes  may 
be  made  from  turkey  as  from  chicken. 

FLORENTINE   ROAST   TURKEY  STUFFED   WITH 
CHESTNUTS. 

Prepare  the  turkey  by  cleaning,  washing,  and  trussing.  Make 
a  dressing  of — 

One  quart  of  Spanish  chestnuts  ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  ; 
one  teaspoonful  of  salt ;  pepper  to  taste. 

Roast  or  boil  the  chestnuts.  If  you  roast  them  do  not  let 
them  burn.  Peel,  mash,  and  chop  them.  Work  in  the  butter  and 
seasoning  and  stuff  the  turkey  as  you  would  with  bread-dressing. 


1 66  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

Of  course  you  could  substitute  native  chestnuts  for  the  Span- 
ish, boiling  and  peeling  them.  But  the  time  required  to  get 
out  enough  meat  to  fill  a  turkey  would  seem  to  put  the  substitute 
out  of  the  question. 

OYSTER  STUFFING  FOR  TURKEY, 

To  the  ordinary  stuffing  for  a  turkey,  of  dry  bread-crumbs, 
seasoned  with  parsley,  thyme,  and  sweet  marjoram,  and  moistened 
with  melted  butter,  add  two  dozen  small  oysters,  chopped  fine. 
Stuff  the  breast  of  the  turkey  with  this. 

A  SECOND-DAY  TURKEY. 

If  but  one  side  of  a  boiled  or  steamed  turkey,  or  a  roast  that 
is  unfortunately  underdone,  be  left  intact  after  the  first  visit  to 
the  table,  it  can  be  made  both  presentable  and  palatable  by 
obedience  to  the  following  rules : 

Cover  the  whole  side  with  tolerably  thick  and  fat  slices  of 
boiled  cold  ham.  Bind  them  in  place  with  cotton-twine  or 
narrow  tapes.  Lay  the  turkey,  whole  side  upward,  in  your 
covered  roaster.  If  you  have  any  gravy  left  from  yesterday  thin 
it  with  boiling  water,  strain,  and  pour  it  in  the  pan  about  the 
turkey.  If  not,  weak  chicken  or  veal,  or  even  beef-stock,  will 
do.  If  you  have  none  of  these  use  boiling  water  and  stir  in  a 
tablespoonful  of  butter.  Cover  the  roaster  and  cook  gently  one 
hour.  Baste  four  times  during  this  hour.  Fifteen  minutes  be- 
fore dishing  cut  and  withdraw  the  strings,  take  off  the  ham  and 
keep  it  hot.  If  the  turkey  is  not  brown,  dredge  with  flour  and 
baste  well  once  more.  Shut  the  oven  and  brown  it.  Cut  the 
ham  into  strips,  and  lay  about  the  fowl  when  dished. 

Strain  the  gravy ;  if  necessary  thicken  with  browned  flour  and 
boil  up  before  serving  in  a  boat. 

SCALLOPED  TURKEY. 

Cut  the  remains  of  a  cold  turkey  into  strips  an  inch  and  a 
half  long,  salt  and  pepper  and  set  away,  covered,  in  a  cold 
place  while  you  make  a  good  gravy  of  the  carcass,  broken  to 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  l6/ 

pieces,  and  the  stuffing,  with  the  skin  and  other  uneatable  bits. 
Cover  well  with  cold  water  and  stew  down  slowly  to  half  the 
original  quantity  of  liquid.  Strain  and  add  the  beaten  yolks  of 
three  eggs  for  two  cupfuls  of  meat.  Stir  in  the  turkey.  The 
mixture  should  be  very  soft  and  well-seasoned.  Cover  thickly 
with  fine  crumbs,  salt  and  pepper,  stick  bits  of  butter  in  this 
crust,  and  bake,  covered,  until  it  is  bubbling  hot.  Then  brown. 

TURKEY  AND  SAUSAGE  SCALLOP. 

Butter  a  pudding-dish  and  fill  with  alternate  layers  of  cold 
minced  turkey  and  cooked  minced  and  cold  sausage  meat,  season- 
ing slightly  as  you  go.  The  sausage  will  supply  nearly  all  the  sea- 
soning you  wish.  Pour  in  as  much  gravy  or  weak  stock  as  the 
dish  will  hold;  let  it  soak  in  for  a  few  minutes  and  cover  with 
a  mush  of  bread-crumbs,  peppered,  salted,  and  soaked  in  cream 
or  milk,  then  beaten  smooth  with  an  egg  and  a  tablespoonful  of 
butter,  melted.  It  should  be  half  an  inch  thick.  Cover  and 
bake  for  half  an  hour,  then  uncover  and  brown.  Serve  at  once, 
as  the  crust  soon  falls. 

GALANTINE  OF  TURKEY. 

Boil  a  turkey  that  is  too  tough  to  be  served  whole.  Put  it  on 
in  cold  water,  bring  slowly  to  the  boil,  and  cook  until  the  meat 
slips  from  the  bones.  Cut  it  off  while  hot  and  let  it  get  cold. 
Return  the  bones  to  the  pot-liquor  and  cook  gently  two  hours 
longer.  There  should  be  a  full  pint  of  strong  stock  after  the 
bones  are  strained  out.  Heat  now  and  clear  with  white  of  egg, 
strain  through  flannel  and  color  with  a  little  caramel.  Have  at 
hand  half  a  box  of  gelatine  that  has  been  soaked  for  two  hours  in 
a  large  cupful  of  cold  water.  Stir  over  the  fire  until  the  gelatine 
dissolves  and  the  liquid  is  hot.  Add  then  half  a  teaspoonful  of 
onion-juice  and  a  teaspoonful  of  kitchen  -  bouquet,  with  the 
juice  of  half  a  lemon. 

Dip  nappies  or  custard-cups  or  broad  wine-glasses  in  cold 
water,  put  a  notched  slice  of  pickled  beet  in  the  bottom  of  each, 
and  when  the  jelly  is  cold  a  teaspoonful  of  this.  Upon  it  lay  a 


1 68  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

slice  of  hard-boiled  egg  yolk,  then  fill  the  nappies  with  minced 
and  highly  seasoned  turkey  to  within  half  an  inch  of  the  top. 
Pour  in  jelly  to  the  brim,  letting  it  sink  as  it  will  into  the  mince 
and  rise  to  leave  a  stratum  at  top. 

Set  on  ice  until  they  are  wanted.  Turn  out  upon  crisp  lettuce- 
leaves  and  pass  mayonnaise  dressing  with  them.  You  may  sub- 
stitute a  slice  of  truffle,  or  half  of  a  stoned  olive,  the  cut  side 
inward,  for  the  pickled  beet. 

A  handsome  and  a  delightful  entrde. 

HASHED  TURKEY, 

Heat  in  a  saucepan  the  carcass  and  stuffing  with  water  enough 
to  cover  it  two  inches  deep.  Cook  slowly  for  two  hours,  strain 
and  season  with  onion-juice,  chopped  parsley,  pepper,  and  salt. 
Cut  the  meat  into  small  dice,  and  half  a  can  of  mushrooms 
(champignons)  into  quarters,  and  stir  into  the  sauce.  Heat  to 
scalding,  add  a  glass  of  sherry  and  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon, 
and  serve. 

BONED  TURKEY. 

With  a  narrow,  keen  knife  take  the  bones  out  of  a  raw  tur- 
key. Follow  one  bone  until  you  have  loosened  it  along  its 
length,  keeping  the  blade  close  to  it.  Cut  the  nearest  joint  and 
pull  it  out,  with  the  tendons  attached  to  it,  then  go  on  to  the 
next.  Patience  and  dexterity  will  accomplish  the  task  more 
easily  than  you  imagine.  Now  fill  the  spaces  left  by  the  bones 
with  a  good  force-meat  seasoned  to  taste.  Sausage  and  mush- 
rooms may  be  worked  to  advantage  into  this  force-meat,  with 
bread-crumbs  and  mashed  boiled  chestnuts.  Sew  it  up  in  mos- 
quito-netting when  it  is  stuffed,  retaining  some  resemblance  to 
the  original  bird,  and  braise  it  upon  a  bed  of  minced  vegetables, 
basting  with  good  stock,  and  keeping  it  covered  the  rest  of  the 
time.  Put  under  a  light  weight,  while  warm,  and  do  not  undo 
the  cloth  until  next  day.  Practise  upon  a  chicken  before  under- 
taking a  turkey. 

Boning-knives  can  be  procured  which  make  the  tedious  proc- 
ess easier. 


THE   NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  169 


GEESE. 

A  tough  chicken  is  an  inconvenience.  A  tough  turkey  is  a 
serious  annoyance.  When  a  goose  is  tough  the  infliction  casts 
inconvenience  and  annoyance  into  the  shade.  And  he  toughens 
at  such  an  inconceivably  early  period  of  his  mortal  career  !  By 
the  time  he  is  six  months  old  he  is  a  doubtful  character.  At 
twelve  months  he  is  "impossible"  from  the  market  point  of 
view.  He  is  never  quite  patrician,  although  tolerated  in  our  best 
circles  when  at  his  best  (tenderest)  estate.  In  middle  life  and 
in  his  declining  months  he  is  hopelessly  plebeian.  When  cooked 
at  that  age  the  most  attractive  thing  about  him  is  the  savory 
odor  that  arises  while  the  process  is  going  on. 

"And  now  two  smaller  Cratchits,  boy  and  girl,  came  tearing 
in,  screaming  that  outside  the  baker's  they  had  smelled  the 
goose  and  known  it  for  their  own,"  moves  the  initiated  reader  to 
compassionate  forebodings  of  the  awakening  that  might  be  in 
store  for  the  revelers-expectant.  There  is  relief  in  the  sigh  of 
satisfaction  with  which  we  see,  on  turning  the  page, 

"There  never  was  such  a  goose  cooked.  Its  tenderness  and 
flavor,  size,  and  cheapness  were  the  themes  of  universal  admira- 
tion." 

That  was  an  English  Christmas  and  the  Cratchits  were  an  ex- 
ceptional family.  For  the  sake  of  such  and  for  less  uncommon 
folk,  with  whom  size  and  smell  go  far  in  a  Christmas  dinner,  it 
behooves  us  to  make  the  goose  of  every  age  as  masticable  as  is 
practicable  by  kindly  and  cunning  devices. 

ROAST  GOOSE. 

It  must  be  under  a  quarter  of  a  year  old.  Prepare  for  roast- 
ing as  you  would  a  turkey.  He  is  more  hairy  than  other  fowls 
and  needs  careful  singeing.  In  mixing  the  dressing  make  judi- 
cious use  of  onion  and  sage.  They  go  well  with  the  strong 
meat.  Old-fashioned  English  cooks  used  to  mix  a  little  minced 


170  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

apple  with  the  bread-crumbs  and  seasoning.  The  acid  is  pleas- 
ant in  this  combination. 

Lay  the  goose  in  a  covered  roaster ;  dash  a  great  cupful  of 
boiling  water  over  him  into  the  dripping-pan  below  ;  dredge 
him  with  flour,  salt,  and  pepper  ;  cover  and  cook  twenty  minutes 
to  the  pound,  if  young,  lengthening  the  time  in  proportion  to 
his  age. 

Chop  the  giblets  fine  and  stir  into  the  gravy,  with  browned 
flour  for  thickening.  Serve  apple  sauce  with  it. 

BRAISED  GOOSE, 

Prepare  as  for  roasting,  but  do  not  stuff.  Cut  an  onion,  a  car- 
rot, a  turnip,  two  stalks  of  celery,  and  a  fine  pippin  into  thin 
slices  (chopping  the  celery),  and  dispose  them  in  the  bottom  of 
the  roaster.  Sprinkle  the  vegetables  with  powdered  sage,  pepper, 
and  salt.  Lay  the  goose  upon  them  ;  pour  over  it  two  cupfuls  of 
boiling  water,  dredge  with  salt,  pepper,  powdered  sage,  and  flour ; 
cover  closely  and  cook  slowly,  allowing  twenty-five  minutes  to 
the  pound.  When  half  the  time  has  expired,  turn  the  goose 
over  on  his  side,  and  an  hour  later  upon  the  other. 

Take  him  up  and  keep  hot.  Rub  the  vegetables  and  gravy 
through  a  colander,  return  to  the  fire,  and  stir  in  a  tablespoonful 
of  browned  flour.  Boil  up  once,  pour  half  over  the  goose  and 
send  in  the  rest  in  a  boat. 

GERMAN  RAGOUT  OF  GOOSE. 

Cut  up  the  remains  of  yesterday's  braised  or  roast  goose  into 
neat  pieces.  Put  into  a  saucepan  and  cover  with  the  gravy  left 
from  the  former  dish.  If  you  have  none,  cut  earlier  in  the  day 
a  carrot,  a  turnip,  an  onion,  an  apple,  and  a  stalk  of  celery  into 
small  dice  and  stew  soft  in  a  pint  of  consomme  or  weak  stock. 
Rub  through  a  colander  and  use  it  for  covering  the  pieces  of 
goose.  Cover  closely  and  stew  gently  for  an  hour  and  a  half, 
longer  if  the  fowl  be  tough.  Take  up  the  meat,  arrange  neatly 
upon  a  flat  dish,  and  pour  the  gravy  over  all. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  i'/i 

A  palatable  accompaniment  to  this  ragout  is  a  garnish  of  small, 
well-flavored  apples,  boiled  tender,  but  not  until  they  break  to 
pieces.  Leave  them  in  the  water  until  you  can  handle  them, 
when  skin,  sprinkle  with  sugar,  and  keep  hot  over  boiling  water 
until  the  goose  is  dished.  Lay  them  close  about  the  meat,  and 
serve  one  with  each  portion. 


DUCKS* 

These  pets  of  the  poulterer  are  as  distinctively  aristocratic  as 
our  geese  are  plebeian,  an  honor  for  which  the  buyer  has  to  pay. 
They  deserve  popularity,  being  more  delicate  of  flesh  and  flavor 
than  geese,  and  retain  their  good  qualities  longer. 

ROAST  DUCKS. 

Clean  with  care,  and,  after  washing  well,  rinse  out  with  soda 
and  water.  Lay  in  cold  water  for  half  an  hour ;  wipe  dry  and 
stuff  with  bread-crumbs,  seasoned  with  butter,  pepper,  salt,  a  half 
teaspoonful  of  onion-juice,  and  just  a  pinch  of  powdered  sage. 
Dredge  with  salt,  pepper,  and  flour ;  dash  a  cupful  of  boiling 
water  over  them  and  roast,  covered,  twelve  minutes  to  the  pound, 
if  you  like  them  rather  rare  ;  fifteen,  if  you  would  have  them  well 
done.  Baste  four  times,  the  last  time  with  butter,  after  which 
dredge  with  flour  and  brown. 

Chop  the  giblets  for  the  gravy,  and  thicken  with  browned  flour. 
When  green  pease  can  be  procured  they  should  accompany  ducks. 

BRAISED  DUCK. 

Proceed  as  with  braised  goose,  omitting  the  apple  from  the 
"  bed  "  and  adding  onion  and  sage  very  sparingly. 

STEWED  DUCKS. 

Ducks  which  are  no  longer  in  the  first  flush  of  youth  may  be 
treated  satisfactorily  in  this  way. 

Joint  as  for  fricassee  ;  pepper,  salt,  and  flour  them.    Heat  good 


172  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

dripping  in  a  frying-pan  and  fry  a  sliced  onion  to  a  light  brown. 
Take  out  the  onion,  put  in  the  duck,  and  cook  ten  minutes,  turn- 
ing two  or  three  times.  Put  into  a  saucepan  a  cupful  of  stock  or 
consomme,  and  while  it  is  still  cold  lay  in  the  jointed  duck. 
Cover  and  stew  slowly  until  tender,  season  with  pepper  and  salt, 
a  tablespoonful  of  tomato  catsup,  and  a  dash  of  lemon-juice.  Sim- 
mer three  minutes,  stir  in  a  tablespoonful  of  brown  roux,  cook  a 
minute  to  thicken  it,  add  a  glass  of  sherry,  and  serve. 

SALMI  OF  DUCK. 

Cut  up  the  carcass  of  a  roasted  or  braised  duck,  the  meat 
into  neat  dice,  bones,  stuffing,  and  skin  into  small  pieces.  Cover 
the  meat-dice  with  a  marinade  of  salad  oil  and  lemon-juice,  and 
leave  in  a  cold  place  while  you  prepare  the  gravy  or  sauce. 
Cover  the  bones,  etc. ,  well  with  cold  water,  add  parsley,  pepper, 
and  salt,  and  simmer,  after  this  reaches  the  boil,  for  two  hours. 
Strain,  thicken  the  gravy  with  browned  flour  rubbed  up  with  a 
spoonful  of  butter ;  add  the  juice  of  half  an  onion,  boil  up  and 
put  in  the  meat.  Draw  to  the  side  of  the  range  and  let  it 
almost,  but  not  quite,  boil.  Take  out  the  meat  and  arrange 
neatly  upon  a  flat  dish.  Add  to  the  gravy  half  a  can  of  cham- 
pignons (or,  if  you  can  get  them,  fresh  mushrooms  are  far 
better).  Simmer  three  minutes  and  pour  over  the  meat. 

Garnish  with  sippets  of  fried  bread. 

ROAST  DUCKLINGS. 

Whip  three  tablespoon fuls  of  mashed  potatoes  to  a  white 
cream  with  butter  and  a  tablespoonful  of  cream.  Season  with 
celery  salt  and  white  pepper,  add  three  tablespoon  fuls  of  almonds, 
blanched  and  chopped  very  fine.  With  this  mixture  stuff  your 
young  ducks  when  you  have  cleaned  and  washed  them.  Do  not 
distend  the  bodies,  but  fill  without  packing.  Truss  and  bind 
legs  and  wings  into  position  with  cotton -twine.  Lay  the  plump 
creatures  (they  must  be  fat  and  white)  upon  the  grating  of  your 
roaster,  rub  the  breast  with  a  split  onion,  dust  with  pepper,  salt, 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  1/3 

and  flour ;  put  a  cupful  of  boiling  water  into  the  pan  and  cover. 
Set  in  a  very  quick  oven  for  the  first  fifteen  minutes.  Change, 
then,  to  a  more  moderate,  and  cook,  still  covered,  ten  minutes  to 
the  pound.  Uncover,  baste  well  with  gravy,  then  with  butter, 
dredge  with  flour,  and  brown. 

Skim  the  fat  from  the  gravy,  thicken  with  a  tablespoonful  of 
browned  flour,  rubbed  up  with  two  tablespoonfuls  of  currant 
jelly,  and  send  to  table  in  a  boat. 

This  is  one  of  the  choicest  of  summer  delicacies. 

RAGOUT  OF  DUCK  AND  GREEN  PEASE. 

Cook  the  remnants  of  a  pair  of  roast  ducks  as  directed  in 
recipe  for  Salmi  of  Duck,  and  when  done  pile  the  meat  in  the 
centre  of  the  dish ;  put  a  quart  of  green  pease,  well  boiled  and 
drained,  about  them  like  a  green  fence,  and  pour  the  gravy  over 
all. 


FAMILIAR  TALK. 

A  WORD  ABOUT  POTS  AND  PANS. 

When  you  are  furnishing  your  pantry  bear  in  mind  that  it  is 
sometimes  poor  economy  to  save  money.  Be  a  little  lavish  in 
pots  and  pans,  bowls  and  spoons.  Your  strength  is  your 
capital.  Do  not  squander  it  by  doing  without  what  you  need 
in  the  way  of  utensils,  or  wear  yourself  out  washing  them  again 
and  again  in  the  course  of  one  morning's  work,  because  you 
have  an  over-scant  supply  of  necessary  vessels. 

There  are  plenty  of  homes  where  the  abundant  food  served  on 
handsome  china  is  prepared  by  the  cook  with  the  greatest  diffi- 
culty because  of  insufficient  utensils.  A  visit  to  such  kitchens 
would  reveal  make-shifts  that  are  usually  associated  with  poverty. 
Cake  and  puddings  mixed  in  a  soup-tureen  or  vegetable-dish,  in 
default  of  regular  mixing-bowls,  bread  set  to  rise  in  a  dish -pan 
for  lack  of  a  bread-bowl,  left-overs  set  away  in  the  handsome 
china  dishes  in  which  they  came  from  the  table  because  there 


1/4  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

are  not  kitchen  plates  and  cups  to  hold  them,  worn-out  chop- 
ping-bowls,  leaky  measuring-cups,  dented  and  dingy  tins,  and  a 
general  "down-at-heel"  condition  of  affairs. 

This  is  not  always  the  fault  of  the  mistress.  Often  it  happens 
that  she  has  provided  all  the  essentials,  and  the  carelessness  of 
her  servants  has  brought  about  the  dearth  and  disorder.  Unless 
she  goes  into  the  kitchen  regularly,  and  looks  well  to  the  ways  of 
her  pantries  she  must  expect  that  loss  and  breakages  will  pass  un- 
reported.  The  woman  who  does  more  or  less  of  her  own  cook- 
ing will  be  spared  this  annoyance  at  least. 

The  best  ware  for  pots  and  pans  is  usually  of  agate-iron, 
although  it  is  difficult  to  find  a  make  that  will  not  crack  or  scale. 
The  blue  porcelain-lined  vessels  are  always  pretty  and  clean - 
looking.  Of  these  or  the  agate -iron  should  be  the  double-boil- 
ers, the  double  -  bottomed  saucepans,  the  frying  -  kettle,  the 
pudding-dishes,  and  sundry  other  equally  useful  vessels.  Have 
an  omelet-pan  as  well  as  a  frying-pan,  a  waffle-iron  as  well  as  a 
griddle,  muffin-tins  as  well  as  biscuit-pans.  And,  above  all,  do 
not  stint  yourselves  in  the  matter  of  bowls.  Have  of  big  bowls 
one  or  two,  of  medium-sized  bowls  three  or  four,  and  of  small 
bowls  as  many  as  your  financial  conscience  will  allow  you  to 
get.  They  are  cheap,  they  take  up  little  room,  are  easily  kept 
clean,  and  are  always  useful,  not  only  for  mixing  small  quantities, 
for  beating  an  egg  or  two,  but  for  holding  a  spoonful  of  this  or 
half  a  cupful  of  that  remnant. 

Be  lavish,  also,  in  spoons  for  mixing  and  for  measuring,  and 
in  knives  of  various  sizes  for  cutting  meat  and  bread,  for  paring 
apples  and  potatoes.  Have  a  split  spoon  for  taking  croquettes 
and  fritters  from  the  boiling  fat,  meat-forks,  cake-turners,  and  a 
palette-knife  for  lifting  and  turning  an  omelette.  Provide  your- 
self with  a  board  to  cut  bread  upon,  with  a  paint-brush  to  grease 
cake-tins,  with  an  iron-handled  chain-dishcloth  for  cleaning  pots 
and  pans,  with  a  long-handled  mop,  a  vegetable-grater,  a  cheese- 
grater,  a  vegetable-press,  a  gravy-strainer,  a  long-nosed  pitcher 
for  griddle-cake  batter,  and  more  than  one  egg-beater. 

There  are  many  other  no  less  useful  articles  that  will  readily 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  175 

suggest  themselves,  such  as  fish  and  meat  broilers,  toasters,  cro- 
quette-baskets, and  the  like.  This  paper  is  not  meant  to  give  a 
complete  list  of  kitchen  furnishings,  but  rather  as  a  plea  to  the 
housekeeper  to  supply  herself  with  those  aids  which  will  lighten 
her  labors.  Of  course  she  can  branch  out  to  any  extent,  but 
there  is  a  clearly  drawn  line  between  the  things  she  should  have 
and  those  she  can  get  along  without.  Some  writers  of  house- 
hold topics  fail  to  recognize  this  point  of  division,  and  enumerate 
among  the  articles  necessary  to  every  cook  such  a  collection  of 
border-moulds,  pastry-tubes,  boning-knives,  salamanders,  roasters, 
steamers,  sieves,  and  bains-marie  that  the  young  housekeeper  of 
small  means  is  utterly  discouraged,  while  the  experienced  woman 
who  has  kept  house  long  and  well  without  these  appliances  is 
amused  and  scornful,  and  discounts  the  value  of  the  entire  list. 

C.  T.  H. 


GAME. 

REDHEAD  OR  CANVASBACK  DUCKS  (ROASTED), 

Singe  and  draw,  but  do  not  wash  the  ducks.  Wipe  them,  in- 
side and  out,  with  a  soft,  damp  cloth.  Cut  off  the  pinions  and 
tie  what  is  left  of  the  wings  to  the  bodies.  Instead  of  stuffing 
them,  pepper  and  salt  the  cavity  of  the  body,  wash  out  with 
salad  oil  and  lemon-juice  and  put  a  teaspoonful  of  currant  jelly, 
or  three  or  four  cranberries,  in  each.  Put  into  your  covered 
roaster ;  pour  half  a  cupful  of  boiling  water  into  the  dripping- 
pan  beneath ;  cover  closely  and  cook  half  an  hour,  basting  three 
times.  Uncover,  wash  all  over  with  a  mixture  of  butter  and 
lemon-juice,  and  brown. 

Send  currant  jelly  around  with  them. 

REDHEAD  OR  CANVASBACK  DUCKS  (BROILED). 

Clean  and  wipe  with  a  soft,  damp  cloth  within  and  without. 
Split  down  the  back  and  flatten  the  protuberant  breast-bone 
with  the  broadside  of  a  hatchet,  then  leave  them  in  a  marinade 
of  salad  oil  and  lemon-juice  for  one  hour,  setting  them  in  a  cold 
place.  Without  wiping  them,  broil  over  red,  clear  coals  for 
twenty  minutes,  if  they  are  plump  and  large ;  less  time  will  do 
for  small  birds.  Turn  them  twice. 

Send  around  currant  or  grape  jelly  with  them,  and  when  dish- 
ing put  upon  each  breast  a  teaspoonful  of  butter  beaten  to  a 
cream  with  lemon-juice  and  finely  chopped  parsley. 

ROAST  PRAIRIE  CHICKENS  OR  GROUSE. 

Test  them,  after  cleaning  and  wiping,  and  if  they  are  tough 
put  them — trussed  as  for  roasting — into  a  steamer  and  set  over 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  \TJ 

hard-boiling  water  for  half  an  hour.  While  still  hot  rub  them 
well  with  butter  and  lemon-juice,  salt  and  pepper,  inside  and 
out,  put  a  small  bit  of  fat  salt  pork  in  each  and  roast,  covered,  in 
a  quick  oven  half  an  hour.  Baste  three  times  with  butter  and 
hot  water,  and,  just  before  taking  them  up,  with  butter  alone. 
They  are  dry  birds  and  need  mollifying.  Send  currant  jelly 
and  bread  sauce  around  with  them. 

BROILED  GROUSE    (LARDED). 

Singe,  clean,  wipe  well,  split  down  the  back,  and  lard  the 
breasts  with  narrow  strips  of  fat  salt  pork,  drawn  through  the 
skin  for  an  inch  and  out  the  other  side  with  a  larding-needle. 
Or,  if  they  are  decidedly  tough,  steam  for  half  an  hour  and  lay 
until  cold  in  a  marinade  of  lemon-juice  and  oil.  Pepper  and 
salt  and  broil  for  fifteen  minutes.  Serve  upon  squares  of  toasted 
bread,  or  upon  oblongs  of  fried  hominy.  Butter  well  before 
sending  to  table. 

SALMI  OF  GROUSE. 

Cut  neatly  into  joints  a  pair  of  underdone  grouse  and  divide 
the  breasts  into  two  pieces  each.  Put  a  cupful  of  good  stock  or 
consomme  in  a  saucepan,  season  well,  add  a  minced  onion,  a 
chopped  carrot,  and  a  stalk  of  celery,  with  a  little  minced  parsley, 
and  cook  slowly  one  hour.  Rub  through  a  colander,  stir  in  a 
tablespoonful  of  brown  roux,  bring  to  a  boil,  and  put  in  the  grouse. 
After  this  it  must  not  boil,  but  set  it  in  a  saucepan  of  boiling 
water  just  where  it  will  keep  at  the  scalding-point  for  half  an 
hour.  At  the  last  put  in  half  a  cupful  of  mushrooms,  heated  in 
their  own  liquor,  and  serve. 

If  you  have  preserved  the  giblets  of  the  grouse,  mince  them  fine, 
work  them  to  a  paste  with  butter,  season  with  salt  and  pepper,  and 
spread  them  on  buttered  toast  upon  the  dish  intended  for  the 
salmi  before  it  goes  in.  The  toast  will  absorb  the  gravy  and  be 

delicious. 

ROAST  QUAILS. 

Draw  and  wipe  carefully  within  and  without  with  a  soft,  damp 
cloth.  Put  a  whole  raw  oyster  in  the  body  of  each,  and  truss  as 

12 


1 78  THE   NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

you  would  a  chicken.  Bind  thin  slices  of  fat  bacon  over  the 
breast;  lay  upon  the  grating  of  your  roaster,  put  a  very  little 
hot  water  under  them  and  cook,  covered,  in  a  lively  oven, 
for  twenty  minutes,  basting  three  times  with  butter  and  water. 
Wash  well  with  butter,  pepper,  and  salt,  and  serve  upon  squares 
of  buttered  toast,  wet  with  gravy  from  the  roaster. 

BROILED  QUAILS. 

Draw,  wipe,  and  split  down  the  back,  then  leave  them  in  a 
marinade  of  salad  oil  and  lemon-juice  for  half  an  hour.  With- 
out wiping,  broil  on  a  wire  "bird-broiler"  for  ten  minutes, 
turning  twice.  Butter,  salt,  and  pepper  them,  and  serve  on 
squares  of  buttered  toast,  upon  each  of  which  has  been  poured  a 
teaspoonful  of  hot  stock. 

ROAST  PARTRIDGES. 

Clean  and  truss  as  you  would  chickens.  Bind  thin  slices  of 
fat  salt  pork  or  bacon  over  the  breasts  and  put  into  your 
roaster  with  half  a  cupful  of  boiling  water.  Pepper  and  salt  the 
birds  and  wash  over  with  melted  butter,  letting  it  drip  into  the 
pan  below.  Cook,  covered,  forty-five  minutes,  basting  four 
times  with  butter  and  water. 

Serve  with  a  good  bread  sauce,  but  after  dishing  pour  over 
the  birds  several  spoonfuls  of  their  own  gravy  from  the  pan. 

ROAST  PIGEONS  (WILD). 

Unless  you  are  sure  that  they  are  tender,  stew  them  or  put 
them  into  a  pie. 

Draw  and  wash  them  thoroughly ;  wipe  dry,  salt  and  pepper 
the  insides;  truss  and  bind  them  into  shape  with  cotton  string ; 
cover  the  breasts  with  thin  slices  of  fat  bacon  tied  in  place,  lay 
them,  breasts  upward,  in  your  roaster,  and  pour  in  half  a  cupful 
of  hot  water  or  weak  stock.  Cook,  covered,  fifteen  minutes ; 
remove  the  pork,  rub  all  over  with  butter  and  lemon-juice,  and 
brown.  Keep  the  pigeons  hot  while  you  stir  into  the  gravy 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  1/9 

a  tablespoonful  of  butter  cut  up  in  one  of  browned  flour  and 
another  of  currant  jelly.  Boil  up  once  and  pour  over  the 
pigeons. 

BROILED  SQUABS. 

Split  down  the  back,  rub  all  over  with  butter,  salt  and  pepper 
them,  and  broil  over  red  coals. 

Serve  upon  buttered  toast  wet  with  a  little  hot  stock  or  gravy. 

BRAISED  PIGEONS  WITH  MUSHROOMS. 

Drain,  wash,  and  stuff  with  a  force-meat  of  crumbs  and  chopped 
fat  pork,  seasoned  with  onion-juice,  salt,  and  pepper.  Pre- 
pare the  usual  bed  of  vegetables — minced  carrot,  onion,  celery, 
and  parsley.  Lay  the  pigeons  upon  it ;  add  a  cupful  of  stock, 
or  of  butter  and  water,  cover  and  cook  gently  one  hour,  or  until 
tender.  Dish  the  birds  and  keep  hot ;  rub  the  gravy  through  a 
colander  into  a  saucepan,  season  to  taste,  add  a  dozen  fresh 
mushrooms  cut  into  small  pieces,  simmer  five  minutes,  thicken 
with  a  tablespoonful  of  brown  roux,  boil  up  and  pour  over  the 
pigeons. 

PIGEON  PIE. 

Clean,  wash,  and  joint ;  wipe  dry,  pepper,  salt,  and  saute 
them  in  hot  dripping  in  which  an  onion  has  been  fried.  Butter 
a  deep  dish  and  lay  in  the  meat  alternately  with  layers  of  fat  salt 
pork,  chopped  fine,  hard-boiled  eggs,  and  the  giblets  of  the  birds, 
boiled  and  minced.  Dredge  flour  over  the  pigeons  as  they  go 
in.  When  the  dish  is  full  pour  in  a  cupful  of  the  water  in 
which  the  giblets  were  cooked,  seasoned  with  pepper  and  salt. 
Cover  the  pie  with  a  good  crust,  cut  a  slit  in  the  middle,  and 
bake  one  hour  in  a  moderate  oven. 

ENGLISH  JUGGED  PIGEONS. 

Clean,  wash,  and  stuff  with  a  good  force-meat  of  crumbs, 
chopped  fat  pork,  the  yolks  of  two  hard-boiled  eggs  rubbed  to 
powder,  and  a  tablespoonful  of  celery  boiled  tender  and  chopped. 
Season  to  taste  with  onion-juice,  pepper,  and  salt.  Truss  the 


180  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

birds  ;  tie  wings  and  legs  close  to  the  bodies  and  pack  in  an  agate- 
iron  pail  with  a  close  top.  Plunge  this  into  boiling  water  deep 
enough  to  cover  the  pail  almost  to  the  top,  but  not  to  float  it. 
Put  a  weight  on  the  top  to  keep  the  pail  from  turning  over  as 
the  boiling  becomes  hard,  and  cook  for  three  hours  if  the  pigeons 
are  tough. 

Dish  the  birds,  thicken  the  gravy  with  browned  flour,  add  a 
tablespoonful  of  tomato  catsup,  boil  up  and  pour  over  the 
pigeons. 

CURRIED  PIGEONS. 

Cook  as  above  directed,  dish  and  add  to  the  gravy  two 
teaspoonfuls  of  curry-powder.  Boil  one  minute  before  pouring 
over  the  birds.  Serve  with  boiled  rice. 

Pass  ice-cold  bananas  with  this  dish. 

WOODCOCK,  SNIPE,  AND  OTHER  SMALL  BIRDS 

are  usually  broiled  in  the  same  manner  as  squabs.  They  are 
also  nice  (especially  woodcock)  cleaned  and  left  whole,  the 
head  skinned,  the  eyes  extracted,  and  the  head  twisted  over  the 
shoulder  until  the  bill  pierces  the  body.  Bind  a  thin  slice  of 
fat  pork  or  bacon  closely  about  each  bird.  When  all  are  ready 
lay  them  upon  the  grating  of  your  covered  roaster,  pour  a  very 
little  boiling  water  under  them,  cover  and  roast  fifteen  minutes. 
Remove  the  bacon,  wash  the  birds  over  with  butter,  and  brown. 
Boil  the  giblets  and  pound  fine  ;  rub  to  a  paste  with  butter  ; 
season  to  taste.  Have  ready  squares  of  toast,  buttered.  Wet 
with  the  pan-gravy  and  spread  with  the  paste,  laying  a  bird 
upon  each. 

BORDEAUX  STEWED  RABBITS. 

Skin,  clean,  and  joint.  Heat  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  in  a 
saucepan  and  fry  in  it  a  sliced  onion.  When  it  is  slightly 
colored  put  in  the  pieces  of  hare,  salted,  peppered,  and  dredged 
with  flour,  and  cook  five  minutes,  turning  over  and  over  that  all 
parts  may  be  seared.  Cover  with  cold  water  or  weak  stock,  add 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  l8l 

parsley,  sweet  marjoram,  pepper,  and  salt,  and  stew  gently  until 
tender. 

Take  up  the  meat  with  a  skimmer  and  pile  upon  a  dish.  Add 
to  the  gravy  in  the  saucepan  a  great  spoonful  of  brown  roux,  a 
teaspoonful  of  Worcestershire  sauce,  and,  if  you  like,  half  a  cup- 
ful of  chopped  mushrooms  or  champignons.  Boil  two  minutes, 
take  from  the  fire,  put  in  a  glass  of  claret,  pour  over  the  meat, 
cover,  and  set  in  an  open  oven  for  five  minutes  before  serving. 

ROAST  HARES  OR  RABBITS. 

"  Old  hare  "  at  the  South,  let  the  age  be  what  it  may.  At 
the  North  and  West  it  is  a  rabbit,  tame  or  wild. 

Skin  and  clean  them.  The  latter  process  should  be  thorough. 
Good  cooks  are  sometimes  less  heedful  than  they  should  be  in 
this  respect. 

Chop  the  livers  fine,  also  a  slice  of  fat  pork,  and  mix  with 
bread-crumbs.  You  may  add  a  few  champignons  or  mushrooms 
if  you  like.  Season  with  pepper,  salt,  and  onion-juice.  Stuff 
the  rabbits  with  this,  sew  them  up,  and  anoint  well  with  salad 
oil  and  lemon-juice,  leaving  them  in  this  marinade  for  an  hour. 

Put  into  the  roaster,  pour  a  cupful  of  weak  stock,  or  con- 
somme, or  butter  and  water  under  them  ;  cover  and  cook  for  an 
hour.  Take  off  the  bacon,  wash  over  with  butter,  and  brown. 

Dish  the  hares,  and  keep  hot,  while  you  thicken  the  gravy 
with  browned  flour,  boil  up,  add  a  teaspoonful  of  catsup  and 
half  a  glass  of  claret,  pour  a  few  spoonfuls  over  the  rabbits,  the 
rest  into  a  boat. 

JUGGED  HARE. 

Skin,  clean,  and  joint  a  full-grown  rabbit,  or  hare.  Cut  the 
back  into  two  pieces,  and  sever  every  joint.  Fry  a  sliced  onion 
to  a  pale  brown  in  hot  dripping,  put  in  the  meat,  peppered, 
salted,  and  floured,  and  cook  for  ten  minutes,  fast,  turning  often. 
Put  into  the  bottom  of  an  agate-iron  saucepan  a  layer  of  chopped 
fat  salt  pork,  sprinkle  with  onion,  parsley,  and  paprica.  Upon 
this  lay  the  pieces  of  hare  and  cover  with  another  layer  of  chopped 


1 82  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

pork  and  onion.  A  few  bits  of  fresh  tomato  would  not  be  amiss. 
Pour  in  a  cupful  of  cold,  weak  stock  in  which  a  stalk  of  celery 
has  been  boiled,  then  removed. 

Fit  on  a  tight  top,  set  in  a  vessel  of  cold  water,  and  bring 
slowly  to  a  boil.  Keep  this  up  for  three  hours,  or  until  the 
meat  is  tender.  Dish  the  pieces  of  rabbit,  thicken  the  gravy 
with  browned  flour  ;  add  a  tablespoonful  of  currant  jelly  and 
one  of  lemon-juice,  simmer  one  minute,  pour  in  a  glass  of  sherry 
and  turn  all  upon  the  meat. 

Garnish  with  triangles  of  fried  hominy,  serving  a  bit  with  each 
portion  of  hare.  This  is  an  English  dish  and  good. 

ROAST  VENISON. 

The  best  pieces  for  roasting  are  the  leg,  the  haunch,  and, 
chiefest  of  all,  the  saddle.  The  general  treatment  is  the  same  as 
that  bestowed  upon  prime  mutton.  Cook  about  twelve  minutes 
to  the  pound.  Venison  should  be  hung  for  several  days  before 
it  is  used  in  winter.  If  it  be  frozen,  so  much  the  better.  When 
you  are  ready  to  cook  it  wash  it  all  over  with  vinegar,  rub  this 
in  well,  wipe  the  meat,  and  rub  it  as  faithfully  with  butter  or  with 
salad  oil. 

Send  around  currant  jelly  with  it,  and  mix  a  tablespoonful  of 
the  same  in  the  gravy  when  you  thicken  it,  with  a  glass  of  claret, 
or  other  red  wine. 

VENISON  STEAK. 

Cook  as  you  would  beefsteak,  allowing  a  little  more  time,  as 
the  meat  is  firm  and  close-grained. 

When  it  is  done  lay  it  upon  a  hot- water  dish,  pepper  and  salt, 
and  put  upon  it  a  great  spoonful  of  butter,  beaten  to  a  cream,  with 
one  of  currant  jelly.  Cover  the  dish,  let  the  sauce  melt,  turn 
the  steak  in  it  and  put  another  spoonful  upon  the  other  side. 

Eat  hot. 

44  VENISON  PASTY." 

Cut  cold,  underdone  venison  into  neat  dice,  season  with  pep- 
per and  salt,  and  lay  in  salad  oil  and  lemon-juice  for  one  hour. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  183 

Make  a  gravy,  some  hours  before  you  are  ready  to  make  the 
pasty,  of  venison  or  beef-bones,  bits  of  skin,  and  refuse  bits  of 
meat,  with  a  chopped  carrot,  an  onion,  and  a  stalk  of  celery ; 
cover  with  cold  water.  Boil  down  to  half  the  original  quantity 
of  liquid,  strain  and  season,  thicken  with  brown  roux,  boil  up 
again  and  let  it  get  cold. 

Pack  the  venison  in  a  deep  dish,  seasoning  each  layer  as  it  is 
put  in  with  pepper,  salt,  and  onion-juice.  Next  to  the  first 
thickness  put  a  dozen  or  more  dice  of  cold  boiled  tongue  (beef 
is  good,  but  calf's  or  lamb's  tongue  is  better),  sprinkle  with  bits 
of  butter  dipped  in  flour,  and  here  and  there  a  great  drop  of  cur- 
rant jelly.  On  the  tongue  lay  chopped  salt  pork  and  minced 
parsley.  Squeeze  a  few  drops  of  lemon-  and  of  onion-juice  on 
each  layer.  When  all  are  in  pour  in  gravy  enough  to  be  seen 
through  the  topmost  layer,  but  not  to  cover  it.  Put  over  all  a 
thick  crust  of  puff-paste  with  a  slit  in  the  middle,  and  leaves  or 
triangles  of  pastry  overlapping  the  edges  toward  the  centre.  Bake 
in  a  steady  oven  for  an  hour.  As  the  pasty  browns,  wash  it  with 
white  of  egg,  and  when  this  hardens,  with  butter,  and  leave  in 
the  oven  to  glaze. 

FAMILIAR  TALK. 
KITCHEN  PHYSIC 

Nature's  treasure-house  is  continually  yielding  up  new  secrets 
that  are  for  the  healing  of  nations.  By  wise  application  of  these 
medical  science  has  added  within  half  a  century  five  and  a  half 
years  to  the  average  of  human  life.  She  has  other,  and  what 
may  be  classed  among  open,  secrets  that  even  sensible  people 
are  slow  to  comprehend  and  to  use  to  the  advantage  of  the  race. 
Fondness  for  drugs  and  ignorance  of  the  laws  of  health  usually 
go  hand  in  hand.  The  reader  of  "  The  Mill  on  the  Floss  "  re- 
calls as  a  stroke  of  genius  sallow  Mrs.  Pullet's  mournful  pride  in 
the  fact  that  no  other  woman  in  the  parish  had  swallowed  such 
quantities  of  doctor's  stuff  as  herself.  In  proof  of  which  dis- 
tinction she  points  to  the  empty  bottles  and  boxes  on  the  shelf, 


1 84  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

and  regrets  that,  "  as  for  the  boluses  there  is  nothing  to  show 
for  them  without  it  is  the  bills." 

Every  parish  has  its  Pullets — the  wife  who  doses  herself  with 
physic,  and  the  husband  who  "  draws"  his  drugs  "mild,"  by 
keeping  medicated  lozenges  in  his  mouth.  But  for  them  the 
patentees  and  pedlers  of  panaceas  could  not  build  palaces  and 
drive  four-in-hands.  Even  conscientious  members  of  the  profes- 
sion devote  more  thought  to  remedial  than  to  preventive  meas- 
ures. We  must  go  to  the  antipodes  to  find  a  spasm  of  sense 
that  pays  the  family  physician  for  keeping  his  charges  well,  and 
stops  his  salary  as  soon  as  one  of  them  becomes  a  ' '  patient. ' ' 
The  American  practitioner  in  good  and  regular  standing  who 
makes  much  of  "  kitchen  physic  "  is  rated  as  old-womanish.  The 
best  of  the  guild  are  more  ready  to  say  what  the  sick  ought  not 
to  eat  than  to  advise  what  well  people  should  eat,  and  when  and 
how,  if  they  would  keep  well. 

I  know  a  woman  who  would  be  handsome  but  for  growing 
obesity,  and  a  red  muddiness  of  skin  that  defies  alterative  drugs, 
mineral  waters,  and  cosmetics.  Her  physician  lately  prescribed 
walking  in  the  open  air  for  an  hour  each  day. 

"  Walking  !  "  cried  the  perplexed  patient.  "  I  do  little  else. 
I  walk  miles  every  day  of  my  life.  I  know  nobody  who  walks 
more  unless  it  be  our  letter-carrier." 

The  pedestrian's  friends  whisper  among  themselves  that  she 
is  "  a  high  liver,"  addicted  (the  word  is  not  too  strong)  to  gravy- 
soups  and  entrees,  teeming  with  indigestion  ;  to  fat  ducks  and 
salmon  and  lobster  ;  to  rich  puddings  and  sauces ;  to  pastry 
transparent  with  butter  ;  to  strong  coffee,  chocolate,  nuts,  raisins, 
confectionery,  and  so-called  digestive  liqueurs.  Such  things, 
when  indulged  in  freely  and  habitually,  will  not  down  for  all 
the  medicines  in  the  Pharmacopoeia,  and  even  bodily  exercise 
profiteth  little,  although  taken  in  the  life-giving  air  of  heaven. 

In  the  good  time  coming  doctors  will  league — not  with  drug- 
gists— but  with  greengrocers  and  butchers.  Prescriptions  for 
juicy  steaks,  tender  chops,  fish,  full  of  phosphates  for  bone  and 
brain,  and  fresh  vegetables,  will  take  the  place  of  mystical 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  185 

scrawls  ordering  quinine,  calisaya,  antipyrin,  phenacetine,  the 
various  bromides,  hydrarg.  cum  creta  and  myriads  of  other 
mineral  and  vegetable  poisons.  Manuals  of  Domestic  Medicine 
will  be  discarded  for  familiar  treatises  upon  Dietetics  and  the 
Chemistry  of  Food. 

As  a  means  to  this  end  and  the  health  and  longevity  of 
our  race,  each  house-mother  should  study  what  kind  of  food 
will  most  surely  build  up  the  systems  of  growing  children 
and  maintain  the  vigor  of  adults.  It  sounds  harsh,  but  it  is 
a  harsh  truth,  that  thousands  of  people  in  otherwise  fairly 
comfortable  circumstances  throughout  our  land  suffer,  and  that 
many  actually  die  yearly,  from  malnutrition.  Their  stomachs 
are  distended  tri -daily  with  what  passes  for  food,  but  it  is  not 
food  convenient  for  human  creatures. 

The  table  is  the  first  objective  point  of  economy  when  econ- 
omy becomes  necessary.  "  We  must  live  more  plainly,"  signi- 
fies a  cutting  off  and  a  shutting  down  upon  provision  bills. 
Salted  meats  and  fish  are  substituted  for  fresh  ;  canned  fruits  and 
vegetables  are  cheaper  in  all  seasons  than  those  newly  gathered, 
and  are  purchased  by  the  family  caterer  as  a  matter  of  principle. 
In  farming  districts,  peopled  by  fairly  prosperous  freeholders, 
"  butchers'  meat  "  is  a  novelty  in  home  bills-of-fare,  being  re- 
served for  high-days  and  holidays,  and  the  slaughter  of  a  fowl  for 
home  consumption  is  an  event  bordering  upon  a  solemn  cere- 
monial. The  barrel  of  pickled  pork,  the  keg  of  pickled  fish,  the 
store  of  smoked  beef  and  hams,  the  bins  of  potatoes,  turnips,  and 
cabbages,  supply  with  dreary  monotony  the  family  table  from 
October  until  June,  when  new  potatoes,  turnips,  and  cabbages 
"come  in."  Eggless  rice-puddings  and  leathery  apple-pies,  on 
five  days  out  of  seven,  fill  up  the  chinks  left  in  disappointed 
stomachs  by  the  solids  enumerated.  The  quality  of  home-made 
bread  in  these  households  leaves  so  much  to  be  desired  that  the 
sawdusty  loaves  left  semi-weekly  by  the  neighborhood  baker  are 
a  welcome  variety. 

From  this  class  of  a  rural  and  religious  population,  and  from 
the  corresponding  rank  of  city  mechanics,  clerks,  and  small  house- 


1 86  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

keepers,  is  recruited  the  largest  constituency  of  doctors  and 
apothecaries.  Butcher  and  greengrocer  rate  them  as  indifferent 
customers.  These  are  the  buyers  of  fowls  at  twelve  cents  per 
pound  when  the  market-price  is  sixteen  cents  ;  of  equivocal  fish 
and  Saturday  bargains  in  berries  and  peaches  that  cannot  be 
kept  over  Sunday,  and  ought  to  have  been  sold  on  Friday.  The 
purchasers  will  tell  you  honestly — and  patiently,  being,  as  I 
have  said,  religious — that  they  cannot  afford  choice  cuts  and 
fresh  vegetables  and  fruits ;  furthermore,  that  their  children 
must  be  brought  up  frugally  to  prepare  them  for  the  lives  of 
working-people.  They  have  but  one  idea  of  more  palatable  and 
nourishing  food  than  their  own,  and  that  is,  that  it  costs  more 
money. 

Talk  of  broths,  rich  in  delicious  nutriment,  that  may  be  evolved 
from  coarse  lean  meat  and  cracked  bones  and  a  handful  of  vege- 
tables ;  of  cereals,  any  one  of  which,  when  properly  cooked  and 
eaten  with  good  milk,  is  a  breakfast  in  itself  for  hungry,  growing 
children  ;  of  methods  of  cooking  tough  poultry  and  joints  that 
mellow  tissues  and  keep  in  the  juices  which  are  the  life-giving 
element  of  the  meat ;  of  the  genuine  economy  of  buying  firm, 
ripe  fruits  in  their  season  instead  of  manufacturing  leathery  pastry 
and  tasteless  puddings — is  thrown  away  upon  the  feminine  Bour- 
bons of  the  American  kitchen.  They  receive  into  credulous 
ears,  and  alas !  into  good  and  honest  hearts,  the  plausible 
periods  of  patent-medicine  venders,  and  estimate  the  family 
doctor's  skill  by  the  number  of  prescriptions  he  leaves,  or  the 
drugs  he  compounds  in  their  sight. 

The  head  of  such  a  household  told  me  the  other  day,  with 
melancholy  complacency,  that  his  doctor's  bill  last  year  was  $250. 
He  added  pridefully  that  "  having  had  so  much  sickness  in  the 
family  he  and  his  wife  had  considered  it  a  duty  to  be  as  econom- 
ical as  possible,"  and  that  the  butcher's  meat  for  themselves 
and  five  children  had  not  cost  $50  in  twelve  months.  The 
sallow  wife  subjoined,  with  a  sickly  smile,  that  she  "  mostly  lived 
on  tea  and  toast.  Seems  's  if  meat  went  against  my  stomach." 
Tea  and  toast  go  as  naturally  together  with  the  weaker  vessels 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  1 87 

among  these  sufferers  as  corned  beef  and  cabbage  with  those  of 
stronger  physical  mould.  It  is  difficult  to  decide  which  is  the 
more  unholy  combination.  Tea  and  dry  or  buttered  toast  as 
certainly  generate  acid  in  the  stomach  as  corned  beef  and  cab- 
bage defy  gastric  juices  and  irritate  the  mucous  membranes.  Good 
meats,  vegetables,  and  fruits  at  any  cost  are  less  expensive  than 
the  doctor  and  druggist,  who  try  to  repair  the  evil-doing  of  indi- 
gestible food.  Excellent  materials,  badly  cooked,  are  an  outrage 
to  natural  laws ;  poor  materials  are  made  intolerable  by  poor 
cooking.  The  result  gained  will  be  worth  all  the  expenditure  of 
time,  money,  and  thought  on  the  part  of  the  house-mother  who, 
by  attention  to  this  vital  subject,  learns  to  feed  her  family  aright. 
The  higher  physical  education  of  the  nation  begins  in  the  nursery. 
In  carrying  it  forward  through  childhood,  youth,  and  maturity, 
the  mother  is  a  whole  "faculty  "  in  herself.  Hers  are  the  hands 
that  are  to  throttle  the  serpent  of  National  Dyspepsia. 

M.   H. 


EGGS. 

AN  egg  which  is  more  than  doubtful  will  float  in  cold  water 
and  should  be  thrown  away  without  further  test.  An  egg  that  is 
not  perfectly  fresh  will  have  a  smooth  shell,  a  newly  laid  egg  a 
rough.  Within  three  days  from  the  time  of  laying,  the  lime  of 
the  shell  begins  to  disintegrate  in  the  air.  Within  ten  days  the 
meat  of  the  egg  begins  to  evaporate  through  the  shell ;  the  latter 
loses  its  pearly  whiteness  and  becomes  glossy. 

To  prevent  disintegration  and  evaporation,  the  egg  may  be 
dipped  in  melted  fat,  or  varnished,  or  coated  with  beeswax. 
Eggs  packed  down  in  melted  lard  will  keep  for  weeks.  Pack 
them  in  a  jar,  the  small  end  downward,  pour  the  melted  (not 
warm)  fat  about  them  until  all  are  covered.  They  may  also  be 
packed  in  dry  salt,  or  covered  with  a  solution  of  saltpetre  and 
lime  in  hot  water,  which  should  cool  before  it  is  poured  over  the 
eggs. 

BOILED  EGGS. 

There  are  three  things  which  the  Average  Cook  holds  and  be- 
lieves for  certain  that  anybody  can  do  without  being  taught, 
yea,  four  which  are  too  easy  to  learn.  The  three  are  :  Tea-Mak- 
ing, Dish-Washing,  and  Toasting  Bread.  The  fourth  is  Boiling 
an  Egg. 

"  They  are  as  easy  as  breathing,"  she  says,  disdainfully. 

Perhaps  so.  Not  one  human  creature  in  a  thousand  knows 
how  to  draw  his  breath  properly. 

"There's  wit  goes  to  the  boiling  of  eggs,"  is  a  pithy  old 
proverb  that  rings  sadly  in  the  ear  of  her  who  must  herself  see  to 


THE   NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  189 

the  cooking  of  every  egg  every  morning  in  the  year  if  she  would 
have  them  "just  right." 

The  best  way  of  all,  to  the  present  writer's  way  of  thinking, 
and  tasting,  is  to  lay  the  eggs  in  lukewarm  water  for  a  few  min- 
utes to  take  off  the  chill,  then  to  put  them  into  a  saucepan  of 
water  which  is  at  a  positive  and  furious  boil,  and  as  soon  as  they 
are  in,  to  draw  the  saucepan  out  of  the  way  of  possible  reboil, 
cover  it  closely  and  leave  the  eggs  in  it  for  six  minutes.  A 
woollen  cap,  like  a  tea-cosey,  is  a  good  thing  to  have  for  such  a 
purpose.  Cover  the  saucepan  with  a  closed  lid,  envelop  it  in 
the  cap,  and  let  it  alone  until  the  time  is  up. 

The  white  and  yolk  will  be  of  custard -like  consistency,  and  so 
much  more  digestible  than  when  cooked  by  actual  boiling,  that 
it  is  strange  the  mode  is  not  more  generally  adopted. 

Another  Way, 

Be  sure  that  the  water  boils.  It  is  not  enough  that  it  simmers. 
There  must  be  violent  ebullition.  Put  in  the  eggs  (always  with 
a  spoon,  never  drop  them  in)  ;  cover  and  cook  for  three  minutes 
and  a  half,  take  them  up  and  serve  immediately,  wrapped  in  a 
warmed  napkin. 

Still  Another. 

Cover  the  eggs  with  cold  water  ;  put  them  directly  over  a  hot 
fire,  and  as  soon  as  the  water  boils  take  them  out 

STEAMED  EGGS. 

Break  the  shells  and  drop  the  contents  carefully  into  buttered 
nappies  of  stone  china.  Put  them  into  the  perforated  pan  of  a 
steamer,  fit  on  the  lid  and  keep  the  water  below  at  a  hard  boil 
for  seven  minutes,  or  until  the  whites  are  set. 

SHIRRED  EGGS. 

Butter  the  nappies  and  break  the  eggs  into  them,  one  in 
each.  Arrange  in  a  perforated  pan  or  in  a  broad  wire  basket 
and  set  in  boiling  water  on  top  of  the  range.  Leave  them  in 


1 90  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

the  water  until  the  white  is  set,  when  take  up  the  nappies,  put  a 
bit  of  butter  and  a  dust  of  salt  and  pepper  upon  each,  and  send 
at  once  to  table.  Eat  from  the  nappies. 

The  flavor  of  eggs  cooked  in  this  way  is  considered  more  deli- 
cate than  when  they  are  prepared  in  any  other  manner.  They 
imbibe  no  taste  from  the  lime  of  the  shell,  as  sometimes  happens 
when  they  are  boiled,  and  are  not  made  insipid  by  contact  with 
the  boiling  water  as  when  poached. 

POACHED  OR  DROPPED  EGGS. 

The  neatest  way  of  poaching  eggs  is  to  cook  them  in  muffin- 
rings  or  in  rings  made  expressly  for  this  purpose.  Put  the  rings 
or  the  poacher  in  shallow  boiling  water,  slightly  salted,  and  with 
a  tablespoonful  of  vinegar  in  it.  Let  the  water  begin  to  bubble 
again  before  you  break  an  egg  into  each  ring.  Draw  to  the  side 
of  the  range,  where  the  water  will  just  simmer  about  the  edge  of 
the  pan,  and  watch  the  eggs  until  they  are  "  set  "  all  through. 
As  usually  poached  or  "  dropped,"  eggs  are  soft  in  the  middle 
and  hard  on  the  edges. 

Have  ready  rounds  of  delicately  browned  toast  thick  enough 
not  to  curl  with  the  heat ;  butter  them  well,  put  a  teaspoonful 
of  boiling,  salted  water  in  the  centre  of  each,  and  lay  an  egg 
upon  it. 

The  dish  is  made  more  savory  if  you  will  wet  the  toast  with 
hot  stock  or  consomme.  It  is  especially  nice  when  wet  with 
oyster-liquor. 

CREAMED  POACHED  EGGS. 

Heat  a  cupful  of  cream  with  a  pinch  of  soda  in  it,  in  a  small 
frying-pan.  When  it  boils  break  into  it  an  indubitably  fresh  egg 
and  cook  three  minutes,  or  until  it  is  set.  Take  it  out  with  a  per- 
forated spoon,  lay  upon  buttered  toast  in  a  hot-water  dish,  and 
drop  in  a  second,  then  a  third.  Put  a  tiny  bit  of  butter  upon 
each  egg,  dust  with  salt  and  pepper,  and  serve. 

A  single  egg  poached  in  half  a  cupful  of  hot  cream  makes  a 
delicious  and  nourishing  breakfast  for  an  invalid.  An  epicurean 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  1 91 

bachelor  cooked  two  eggs  in  cream  every  morning  for  ten  years 
in  his  apartment  with  a  chafing-dish,  and,  with  strong,  hot  coffee 
made  over  a  spirit-lamp,  and  two  crisp  rolls  left  by  a  French 
baker,  asked  for  nothing  more  luxurious. 

EGGS   A  LA  CREME. 

Heat  half  a  pint  of  new  milk  in  a  pudding-dish  on  top  of  the 
stove,  melt  in  a  tablespoonful  of  butter,  and  when  the  milk  boils 
break  into  it  six  eggs.  Season  with  salt  and  pepper,  cook  for 
three  minutes  more.  Serve  in  the  dish  in  which  they  were 
cooked. 

EGGS  POACHED  IN  CONSOMME. 

Heat  a  pint  of  consomme  or  clear  beef-soup  to  boiling.  Poach 
six  eggs  in  it,  two  at  a  time,  lay  them  in  a  dish  that  will  stand 
the  heat,  and  put  the  soup  on  the  hot  part  of  the  stove  where  it 
will  quickly  reduce  one-half.  While  it  boils  sprinkle  a  table- 
spoonful  of  grated  cheese  over  the  eggs,  and  set  them  in  a  hot 
oven.  Thicken  the  soup  with  a  tablespoonful  of  browned  flour, 
kneaded  with  half  as  much  butter,  and  when  it  is  smooth  and 
thick  pour  it  around  the  eggs. 

EGGS  A  LA  LYONNAISE. 

Boil  six  eggs  hard  and  cut  them  into  slices.  Fry  a  small 
onion,  sliced,  in  a  tablespoonful  of  butter.  Take  out  the  onion  \ 
stir  in  half  a  pint  of  milk  in  which  has  been  mixed  a  table- 
spoonful  of  flour.  Cook  this  to  a  smooth  sauce,  add  pepper  and 
salt  to  taste,  put  in  the  sliced  eggs,  cook  two  minutes  longer, 
and  serve  on  small  squares  of  buttered  toast. 

SAVORY  EGGS. 

Boil  six  eggs  hard  and  slice  them.  Brown  half  a  small  onion 
in  a  tablespoonful  of  butter,  add  a  cupful  of  broth  or  gravy,  and 
boil  for  ten  minutes,  until  the  sauce  is  reduced  to  half  the  original 
quantity.  Take  out  the  onion ;  season  with  salt,  pepper,  and  a 


IQ2  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

small  teaspoonful  of  Worcestershire  sauce,  lay  in  the  sliced  eggs, 
and  let  them  get  heated  through.  The  sauce  must  not  boil  after 
the  eggs  go  in. 

POWDERED  EGGS. 

Boil  six  eggs  hard.  Chop  the  whites  coarsely  and  rub  the 
yolks  through  a  sieve.  Make  a  white  sauce  by  cooking  together 
a  tablespoonful  of  butter  and  one  of  flour  in  a  saucepan  until 
they  bubble,  add  half  a  pint  of  milk,  and  stir  until  thick  and 
smooth.  Season  with  salt  and  white  pepper,  stir  in  the  minced 
whites,  and  when  these  are  heated  through,  turn  them  upon  a  hot 
dish.  Strew  the  yolks  over  them  and  set  in  the  oven  for  two 
minutes. 

CURRIED  EGGS. 

Six  hard-boiled  eggs  cut  into  rather  thick  slices  with  a  sharp 
knife.  One  cupful  of  gravy  in  which  an  onion  has  been  cooked. 
One  teaspoonful  of  curry-powder. 

If  gravy  is  not  available  an  onion  may  be  stewed  in  a  little 
soup-stock,  and  this  strained  and  thickened  with  brown  flour. 
Heat  the  gravy  to  boiling,  stir  in  the  curry-powder,  and  lay  the 
sliced  egg  in  it,  taking  care  not  to  break  the  pieces.  The  gravy 
must  be  deep  enough  to  cover  the  eggs.  Simmer  gently  fifteen 
minutes,  turn  out  into  a  deep  dish,  and  serve  with  boiled  rice. 

DEVILED  EGGS. 

Six  hard-boiled  eggs.  One  saltspoonful  of  dry  mustard.  One 
tablespoonful  of  melted  butter.  Pepper  and  salt  to  taste. 

Throw  the  boiled  eggs  into  cold  water  as  soon  as  they  are 
taken  from  the  fire,  in  order  that  the  shells  may  be  easily  re- 
moved. This  done,  cut  the  eggs  in  two  carefully,  so  as  to  pre- 
serve the  whites  as  perfect  as  possible.  Rub  the  yolk  smooth 
with  the  butter  and  seasoning,  form  the  mixture  into  balls  as 
nearly  the  size  of  the  yolks  as  they  can  be  made,  and  fit  these 
into  the  halved  whites.  Bind  the  portions  together  with  soft 
string,  or  fasten  with  fine  wooden  toothpicks ;  roll  first  in  beaten 
egg,  then  in  fine  crumbs;  drop  into  boiling  cottolene  and  fry  to 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  193 

a  nice  brown.  Remove  the  strings  before  sending  to  table. 
These  make  a  delightful  side  dish  and  may  be  accompanied  by 
slices  of  bacon  fried  crisp.  They  are  also  very  nice  served  alone 
with  a  cupful  of  rich  drawn  butter  poured  over  them. 

SCRAMBLED  EGGS   (PLAIN). 

Break  six  eggs  into  a  bowl  and  beat  them  with  a  fork  just 
enough  to  blend  whites  and  yolks.  Heat  a  tablespoonful  of 
butter  in  a  frying-pan  and  turn  in  the  eggs.  Stir  to  a  smooth, 
soft  mass.  Season  to  taste  with  salt,  pepper,  and,  if  you  choose, 
a  few  drops  of  onion-juice.  Serve  upon  a  hot- water  dish. 

CREAMED  SCRAMBLED  EGGS. 

Heat  in  separate  saucepans  a  small  cup  of  cream  and  the  same 
quantity  of  chicken  or  veal  stock.  Beat  six  eggs,  whites  and 
yolks  together,  for  one  minute,  season  the  stock  to  taste,  pour  in 
the  eggs,  stir  for  two  minutes  over  the  fire,  add  the  cream  and 
serve.  They  should  be  soft  and  smooth  throughout. 

EGGS  A  LA  MILANAISE. 

Heat  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  in  a  frying-pan,  and  break  into 
this  six  eggs.  Stir  constantly,  and  as  soon  as  they  are  well 
mixed  add  a  tablespoonful  of  grated  cheese.  Season  to  taste 
with  salt  and  pepper,  and  serve  on  very  hot  plates. 

This  makes  an  excellent  luncheon-dish. 

JONQUIL  EGGS. 

Whip  the  whites  to  a  stiff  froth,  and  half  fill  buttered  nappies 
with  them.  Make  a  depression  in  the  centre  of  each  and  drop  a 
yolk  into  the  hollow.  Set  in  shallow  boiling  water,  cover  and 
cook  for  three  minutes. 

You  can  have  a  large  dish  of  this  sort  for  breakfast  or  lunch- 
eon by  making  mounds  of  the  stiffened  whites  upon  a  buttered 
block-tin,  or  silver,  or  stone-china  platter,  and  with  the  back  of 
a  spoon  hollowing  each  hillock  to  receive  the  yolk.  When  all 
13 


194  THE   NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

are  in,  set  the  dish  in,  or  over,  boiling  water,  cover,  and  cook 
three  or  four  minutes. 


SCRAMBLED  EGGS  WITH  SHAD  ROES. 

When  you  have  shad  for  dinner  scald  the  roes  ten  minutes 
in  boiling  water  (salted),  drain,  throw  into  cold  water,  leave 
them  there  three  minutes,  wipe  dry,  and  set  in  a  cold  place  until 
next  day,  or  whenever  you  wish  to  use  them.  Cut  them  across 
into  pieces  an  inch  or  more  wide,  roll  them  in  flour,  and  fry  to 
a  fine  brown.  Scramble  a  dish  of  eggs,  pile  the  roes  in  the 
centre  of  a  heated  platter,  and  dispose  the  eggs  in  a  sort  of  hedge 
all  around  them.  A  very  nice  breakfast  or  lunch  dish. 

STIRRED  EGGS. 

Heat  a  cupful  of  rich  gravy  or  of  consomme  in  a  saucepan,  and 
melt  in  it  a  scant  tablespoonful  of  butter.  When  it  boils  stir 
into  it  six  eggs  that  have  been  beaten  together  just  enough  to 
mix  whites  and  yolks.  Stir  three  minutes  over  the  fire,  pour  out 
upon  hot  buttered  toast,  and  sprinkle  with  minced  parsley. 

A  SWEDISH  DISH  OF  EGGS. 

Melt  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  in  a  frying-pan,  stir  in  a  few 
drops  of  onion-juice,  then  a  tablespoonful  of  flour,  and  when  the 
roux  bubbles,  a  cupful  of  hot  milk.  Keep  your  spoon  busy  until 
you  have  a  smooth  white  sauce,  and  add  six  eggs,  beaten  light, 
without  separating  whites  and  yolks.  Season  with  salt  and 
white  pepper,  stir  and  toss  for  two  minutes,  and  heap  upon 
squares  of  toast  that  have  been  buttered  and  spread  with  anchovy 
paste. 

BUTTERED  EGGS. 

Melt  three  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  in  a  frying-pan,  fry  in  it 
two  slices  of  onion  until  they  are  brown,  take  them  out  and  cook 
the  butter  until  it  is  dark  brown.  Break,  one  after  the  other,  six 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

eggs  into  the  dark  butter,  taking  care  that  they  do  not  run  into 
one  another.  Baste  with  the  hot  butter  until  they  are  well  ' '  set," 
and  just  before  dishing  them  sprinkle  with  pepper,  salt,  and 
half  a  teaspoonful  of  vinegar. 

FRIED  EGGS.    (No.  J.) 

Heat  two  great  spoonfuls  of  clarified  dripping  in  the  frying- 
pan,  or  the  same  quantity  of  butter,  and  when  it  hisses  drop  in 
six  eggs,  one  after  the  other.  When  set,  if  you  wish  to  have 
"  turned  eggs,"  slip  a  spatula  under  them,  and  turn  to  cook  the 
underside.  Dust  with  pepper  and  salt  when  dished. 

FRIED  EGGS.    (No.  2.) 

Fry  three  slices  of  onion  in  three  tablespoonfuls  of  well -sea- 
soned dripping ;  take  out  the  onion  and  break  into  the  hissing  fat 
six  eggs,  carefully,  one  after  the  other.  The  onion  gives  a  pleas- 
ant flavor  to  them.  Cook  until  set,  and  dish.  Pepper  and  salt, 
and  serve.  Garnish  with  parsley. 

BACON  AND  EGGS. 

Fry  thin  slices  of  breakfast  bacon  until  clear  and  curling  at 
the  edges.  Dish  them  and  keep  hot.  Strain  the  fat  left  in  the 
pan  ;  put  again  over  the  fire  and  fry  in  it  six  eggs.  Lay  an  egg 
upon  each  slice  of  bacon  and  serve  together. 

EGGS  AND  TOMATOES. 

Make  a  white  roux  of  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  and  the  same 
of  flour,  and  when  it  bubbles  stir  into  it  a  cupful  of  canned  toma- 
toes or  six  fine  fresh  tomatoes  peeled  and  chopped  into  bits,  with 
the  liquor  which  runs  from  them.  Add  half  a  teaspoonful  of 
onion-juice  or  of  grated  onion,  and  when  the  mixture  boils  stir 
in  six  well-beaten  eggs  gradually  lest  they  should  curdle.  Stir 
until  they  thicken.  Season  with  salt  and  pepper  and  serve- 


196  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

BARBECUED  EGGS  AND  HAM. 

Heat  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter,  fry  in  it  half  a  teaspoonful 
of  finely  grated  onion.  Have  ready  half  a  pound  of  cold  boiled 
ham  which  has  been  minced  and  seasoned  well  with  pepper,  mus- 
tard, two  tablespoonfuls  of  salad  oil,  and  one  of  vinegar,  then  left 
to  stand,  covered,  for  two  hours  in  a  cold  place.  Stir  this  mince 
into  the  butter,  cook,  still  stirring  and  tossing  it,  until  smok- 
ing hot  all  through,  add  six  well-beaten  eggs  and  cook  until  the 
eggs  are  "set,"  but  not  hard.  Serve  upon  buttered  toast  that 
has  been  moistened  with  a  little  stock. 

EGGS  AND  MUSHROOMS. 

Heat  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  in  a  frying-pan,  add  half  a 
can  of  champignons,  cut  into  quarters,  and  heat  them  thoroughly. 
Squeeze  over  them  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon,  stir  in  five  eggs, 
well  beaten  previously,  pepper  and  salt,  and  cook  to  a  soft  mass. 

Serve  upon  crackers  that  have  been  toasted,  buttered,  strewed 
with  Parmesan  cheese,  then  set  in  the  oven  for  one  minute. 

NEAPOLITAN  EGGS. 

Heat  a  cupful  of  milk  in  a  saucepan  ;  stir  into  it  a  tablespoonful 
of  butter,  then  six  well-beaten  eggs,  and,  as  they  thicken,  one 
dozen  fresh  mushrooms,  sliced,  and  three  tablespoonfuls  of  boiled 
spaghetti  that  has  been  allowed  to  get  cold  and  then  chopped  fine. 
Season  with  pepper,  salt,  and  half  a  teaspoonful  of  onion-juice. 
Cook  until  hot  and  smoking  all  through,  and  serve  upon  a  hot 
platter,  with  strips  of  fried  hominy  or  polenta  laid  about  it. 

BREADED  EGGS. 

Slice  cold,  hard-boiled  eggs,  pepper  and  salt,  and  dip  each  slice 
in  beaten  egg,  then  in  cracker-dust.  Leave  in  a  cold  place  for 
an  hour,  and  fry  in  deep  fat  to  a  golden  brown.  Dish,  garnish 
with  parsley,  and  pass  tomato  sauce  with  them. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  1 97 

"FANCY  DISHES"  OF  EGGS. 

Eggs  often  appear  at  elegant  luncheons  in  guises  that  entitle 
them  to  rank  with  entrees.  The  useful  ovate  is  susceptible  of  in- 
finite variations  from  skilful  hands  and  cultivated  tastes.  But  a 
few  of  these  can  be  given  here.  If  all  were  written  this  volume 
would  be  wholly  given  up  to  them. 

EGG-CUPS  AND  ANCHOVIES. 

Cut  thick  rounds  of  stale  bread,  and  with  a  small  cutter  mark  a 
circle  in  the  centre,  pressing  the  cutter  half-way  through  the 
bread.  Dig  out  a  hollow  along  this  line  capable  of  holding  a 
tablespoonful  of  custard  or  other  soft  matter.  Wash  the  rounds 
of  bread  all  over  with  butter  and  let  them  dry,  and  crisp  slightly 
upon  the  upper  grating  of  a  hot  oven.  Fill  the  cups  with  the 
following  mixture : 

Heat  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  in  a  saucepan,  and  add  half  a 
cupful  of  cream  (not  forgetting  a  bit  of  soda).  When  both  are 
hot  stir  in  five  well-beaten  eggs  and  cook  to  a  soft  paste.  Have 
ready  a  dozen  anchovies,  skinned  and  minced  fine.  Half  fill  the 
"  cups"  with  them,  squeeze  upon  them  a  few  drops  of  lemon, 
and  heap  upon  them  the  creamed  eggs.  Stick  a  bit  of  parsley  in 
the  top  of  each. 

EGG-CUPS  AND  SARDINES. 

Prepare  in  the  same  way,  substituting  sardines  for  anchovies. 

EGG-CUPS  WITH  TOMATO. 

When  the  egg-cups  are  ready,  fill  with  a  rich  tomato  pur£e, 
made  by  straining  tomato  sauce,  and  thickening  it  with  a  good 
white  roux,  and  seasoning  it  with  grated  .onion,  pepper,  salt, 
and  a  little  sugar.  Lay  a  neatly  poached  egg  upon  the  top  of 
each. 

EGG-BASKETS. 

Six  hard-boiled  eggs  \  one  cupful  of  minced  cold  meat — ham, 
veal,  or  poultry — well  seasoned  ;  one  cupful  of  drawn  butter  or 


198  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

strained  gravy  ;  a  little  chopped  parsley.  Cut  the  eggs  smoothly 
around,  dividing  each  into  two  cups,  extracting  the  yolk.  Cut 
a  small  piece  from  the  bottom  of  each  cup,  so  that  it  will  stand 
upright.  Mash  the  yolks  to  powder  with  a  potato-beetle  or  bowl 
of  a  spoon;  mix  with  them  the  chopped  meat,  and  mould  into 
pellets  about  the  size  and  shape  of  a  yolk.  Put  one  of  these  in 
each  "  basket,"  arrange  them  in  a  dish,  and  pour  over  them  the 
gravy  or  drawn  butter,  made  very  hot  and  seasoned  with  the 
chopped  parsley.  Set  in  the  oven  for  five  minutes  to  heat  the 
eggs,  and  serve. 

Should  you  wish  to  add  further  to  this  dish,  cut  stale  bread 
into  rounds  with  a  cake-cutter;  scoop  out  a  hollow  in  each  to  fit 
the  bottom  of  the  egg  ;  toast  and  butter  them,  and  put  one  under 
each  egg-basket  before  you  pour  the  gravy  over  all.  In  this  case 
there  should,  of  course,  be  more  liquid,  as  the  toast  would  ab- 
sorb much. 

EGG-CUPS  AND  TONGUE. 

Prepare  the  hollowed  rounds  of  bread  as  before  directed,  fill  the 
centres  with  minced  tongue  seasoned  with  a  drop  or  two  of  onion- 
juice,  pepper,  and  French  mustard  to  taste,  then  wet  with  a  little 
consomme.  Around  the  edge  of  the  cup  lay  a  ring  of  stiffly 
frothed  white  of  egg,  and  in  the  central  space  left  by  this  a  raw 
yolk,  with  a  bit  of  butter  upon  it.  Set  on  the  upper  grating  of 
a  hot  oven  until  the  white  begins  to  color  slightly  and  becomes 
encrusted.  Transfer  each  "cup"  and  contents  to  a  small  hot 
plate  of  its  own,  and  surround  with  a  close  garnish  of  parsley. 
Have  the  sprigs  picked  and  ready  when  the  cups  come  from  the 
oven  and  serve  promptly. 

EGG  AND  TONGUE  PATES. 

Instead  of  making  cups  of  rounds  of  breads,  use  empty  shells 
of  pastry  for  holding  the  minced  tongue,  the  ring  of  meringue, 
and  the  raw  yolk.  By  the  time  they  are  thoroughly  heated  in 
the  oven  the  eggs  will  be  done. 

A  pretty  and  savory  entree. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  199 

TIMBALES  OF  EGG  AND  CHICKEN. 

Chop  cold  chicken  as  fine  as  it  can  be  made.  Put  it  over  the 
fire  with  just  enough  stock  to  prevent  it  from  scorching,  stir  into 
a  cupful  of  the  meat  a  tablespoon  ful  of  corn -starch  wet  in  milk, 
and  cook  three  minutes,  stirring  all  the  time.  Take  from  the  fire, 
beat  in  the  white  of  an  egg,  and  spread  upon  a  dish  to  cool. 
When  stiff,  butter  your  nappies  or  pate-pans  or  timbale-moulds 
well  and  line  them  with  this  white  paste.  Drop  the  yolk  of  an 
egg  in  the  centre  of  each,  pepper  and  salt  it  and  lay  a  bit  of  butter 
upon  it.  Set  in  a  pan  of  boiling  water  upon  the  upper  grating 
of  a  hot  oven,  cover  closely,  and  cook  ten  minutes.  Invert  upon 
small  hot  plates,  one  for  each  timbale,  and  put  a  spoonful  of  egg 
sauce  upon  each. 

With  a  little  practice  you  will  find  the  manufacture  of  these 
timbales  easy  and  satisfactory  work. 

EGG  TIMBALES. 

Beat  the  whites  and  yolks  of  four  eggs  light  without  separating 
them,  add  three  tablespoonfuls  of  cream,  a  little  celery-salt,  five 
or  six  drops  of  onion-juice,  and  a  dash  of  white  pepper.  Butter 
timbale-moulds  or  nappies  well,  pour  enough  of  the  mixture  into 
each  to  fill  it  almost  to  the  top  ;  set  in  a  pan  of  boiling  water, 
cover  and  cook  upon  the  upper  grating  of  a  quick  oven  for  ten 
minutes,  or  until  the  middle  of  each  custard  is  set.  Invert  upon 
heated  individual  plates,  with  a  spoonful  of  rather  thick  tomato 
sauce  upon  the  top. 

These  are  sometimes  called  "  Tom  Thumb  Omelettes." 

EGG  FLUMMERY. 

Boil  six  eggs  twenty-five  minutes  ;  throw  them  into  cold 
water  and  leave  them  there  for  one  hour.  Peel  them,  rub  the 
yolks  through  a  sieve  and  set  aside.  Chop  the  whites  until  they 
can  also  be  pressed  through  a  fine  colander  or  a  coarse  sieve. 
Mince  them  with  two  tablespoonfuls  of  finely  minced  champig- 
nons and  season  with  celery-salt,  a  few  drops  of  onion-juice,  and 


200  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

white  pepper.  Now  whip  to  a  close  froth  the  whites  of  two  raw 
eggs,  stir  into  the  other  mixture,  and  fill  with  the  savory  com- 
pound a  well-buttered  mould.  Set  in  boiling  water  in  a  quick 
oven,  cover  the  top  and  cook  for  twenty  minutes,  or  until  firm. 
Turn  out  upon  a  flat  dish,  sift  the  pounded  yolks  all  over  it,  pour 
a  good  sauce — Bechamel  or  white  or  tomato — about  the  base  and 
serve  at  once. 

You  may  make  timbales  of  this  mixture  by  baking  it  in  tim- 
bale-moulds  and  turning  them  out  upon  individual  plates,  then 
sifting  the  yellow  powder  over  them.  It  is  very  nice  and  is 
easily  made. 

EGG  TOAST. 

Cut  rounds  of  stale  bread,  toast  and  moisten  slightly  with  a 
mixture  of  butter  and  water.  Pepper  lightly  with  paprica  and 
dust  with  celery-salt. 

Chop  the  whites  of  six  hard-boiled  eggs  very  fine  and  mix  with 
a  small  cupful  of  drawn  butter.  Spread  this  upon  the  toast 
when  you  have  seasoned  to  taste  with  pepper,  salt,  and  finely 
minced  parsley.  Cover  the  sauce  with  the  yolks  rubbed  through 
a  colander  into  yellow  powder.  Set  in  a  hot  oven  for  three 
minutes  and  serve. 

EGGS  AND  RICE. 

Boil  six  eggs  for  twenty-five  minutes ;  leave  them  in  ice-water 
for  an  hour.  Peel  and  separate  yolks  and  whites.  Chop  the 
latter  fine  and  mix  them  with  half  a  cupful  of  good  drawn  butter. 
Rub  the  yolks  through  a  colander.  Form  in  the  middle  of  a 
stone-china  dish  or  other  fire-proof  crockery  a  ring  of  cold  boiled 
rice  which  has  been  wet  up  while  hot  with  butter,  and  seasoned 
with  onion-juice,  pepper,  and  salt.  Wash  this  over  with  raw 
yolk  of  egg  and  sprinkle  thickly  with  Parmesan  cheese.  Pour  in 
the  sauce  mixture.  It  should  be  quite  stiff,  so  as  to  hold  together 
and  not  break  down  the  rice- walls.  Cover  with  the  pounded 
yolks,  put  bits  of  butter  here  and  there  upon  it,  and  set  upon  the 
upper  grating  of  a  hot  oven  until  heated  through.  Fifteen 
minutes  should  do  it. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  2OI 

A  HEN'S  NEST. 

Boil  six  eggs  hard,  and  when  they  are  cold  and  firm  pare 
away  the  whites  in  slender  shavings  and  arrange  them  in  a  circle 
upon  a  platter,  in  imitation  of  a  nest.  Butter  them  and  set  in 
an  open  oven,  renewing  the  butter  now  and  then  as  they  warm. 

Chop  a  cupful  of  cold  chicken  or  veal  or  shrimps  or  other  cold 
fish  fine,  season  well  and  work  into  it  the  pounded  yolks  of  the 
eggs,  moistening  with  butter  as  you  go  on.  When  well  mixed 
form  into  egg-shaped  balls,  and  heap  within  the  shredded  whites. 
Pour  about  them  a  cupful  of  drawn  butter  into  which  has  been 
stirred  three  spoonfuls  of  chicken -gravy. 

STUFFED  EGGS. 

Boil  six  eggs  hard  and  drop  into  cold  water.  With  a  sharp 
knife  cut  each  in  half  and  chip  a  piece  from  each  end  that  they 
may  stand  firmly.  Work  into  the  pounded  yolks  a  cupful  of 
minced  chicken,  tongue,  or  ham,  moisten  with  butter  and  season 
to  taste.  Make  into  balls  the  size  and  shape  of  the  yolks,  fill 
the  halves  with  these,  arrange  on  a  dish,  pour  a  good  sauce  over 
them,  set  in  the  oven  for  five  minutes,  or  until  heated,  and  serve. 

STUFFED  EGGS  (BAKED). 

Boil  six  eggs  hard  and  when  cold  cut  into  halves  crosswise. 
Make  egg-balls  as  directed  in  the  last  recipe,  fill  the  divided 
halves  and  press  them  closely  back  into  place.  Roll  each  egg  in 
raw  egg  and  cracker-crumbs  and  lay  within  a  buttered  baking- 
pan.  Set  in  a  hot  oven  until  slightly  browned,  and  serve  with 
a  white  or  tomato  sauce. 

STUFFED  EGGS  (COLD). 
To  Be  Eaten  at  Picnics. 

Boil  eggs  hard  and  throw  them  into  cold  water.  When  cool 
remove  the  shells,  cut  the  eggs  in  half  carefully,  and  extract  the 


2O2  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

yolks.  Rub  these  to  a  powder  with  the  back  of  a  spoon  and  add 
to  them  pepper  and  salt  to  taste,  a  little  very  finely  minced  ham, 
and  enough  melted  butter  to  make  the  mixture  into  a  smooth 
paste.  If  ham  is  not  at  hand  any  other  cold  meat  will  do,  and 
either  anchovies  or  anchovy  paste  may  be  used.  Make  the  com- 
pound into  balls  about  the  size  and  shape  of  the  yolks,  and 
restore  them  to  their  place  between  the  two  cups  of  the  whites. 
Keep  these  in  place  by  wrapping  them  in  several  thicknesses  of 
tissue-paper,  folded  square,  the  ends  fringed  out  and  twisted  up 
close  to  the  egg.  Line  a  basket  with  green  leaves  or  grasses, 
and  pile  the  eggs  in  this.  They  are  pleasant  to  the  sight  and 
good  to  the  taste. 

PLAIN  OMELET. 

Beat  six  eggs  just  enough  to  break  the  yolks  into  the  whites. 
A  dozen  strokes  should  suffice.  Have  a  scant  tablespoonful  of 
butter  heated  in  a  small  frying-pan  or  an  omelet-pan.  Pepper 
and  salt  the  eggs  lightly  and  put  in  a  teaspoonful  of  cream  for 
each.  As  soon  as  the  butter  hisses  pour  in  the  eggs  and 
shake  gently,  always  in  one  direction,  to  keep  the  omelet  from 
sticking  to  the  pan.  When  it  is  set,  but  still  soft,  slip  a  broad 
knife  or  a  spatula  under  one  half  and  fold  it  upon  the  other. 
Invert  the  pan  dexterously  over  a  hot  dish  and  drop  the  omelet 
into  the  middle  of  the  platter. 

Garnish  with  cress  or  parsley. 

A  palette-knife  is  admirable  for  folding  omelets. 

A  FROTHED  OMELET. 

Cook  as  directed  in  the  last  recipe,  but  beat  the  whites  and 
yolks  separately  and  very  light,  adding  the  whites  after  the  yolks 
are  whipped  and  mixed  with  the  cream  and  seasoning.  The 
whites  will  break  up  around  the  edges  of  the  omelet,  giving  it  a 
light  and  pleasing  appearance.  You  may  spread  minced  ham  or 
tongue,  chicken,  turkey,  veal,  fish,  in  fact  almost  any  kind  of 
meat,  upon  the  omelet  before  folding  it  over,  and  thus  give  it  a 
distinctive  character. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  2O3 

OMELET    WITH   SMOKED   BEEF. 

Beat  six  eggs  light,  the  whites  and  yolks  separately.  Put  a 
tablespoonful  of  butter  into  a  frying-pan,  and  cook  in  it  for  a 
couple  of  minutes  two  tablespoon fu Is  of  finely  chopped  smoked 
beef.  Mix  the  whites  and  yolks  of  the  eggs  lightly  together,  turn 
them  into  the  pan  upon  the  beef,  and  proceed  as  with  a  plain 
omelet. 

OMELET   WITH   GREEN   PEASE. 

Beat  up  six  eggs  for  omelet  as  in  preceding  recipe,  mix  whites 
and  yolks,  and  stir  into  them  half  a  cupful  of  canned  or  cooked 
green  pease.  Season  with  salt  and  pepper,  put  a  tablespoonful  of 
butter  into  the  frying-pan,  pour  in  the  omelet,  and  cook  as  above 
directed. 

SAUSAGE  OMELET. 

Make  a  plain  omelet  of  six  eggs  and  fry  it  in  a  tablespoonful 
of  butter.  Just  before  folding  the  omelet  lay  on  it  three  cooked 
sausages,  which  have  been  skinned,  minced  fine,  and  heated. 
Fold  the  omelet  and  serve. 

TOMATO  OMELET.    (No.  J.) 

Beat  together  the  whites  and  yolks  of  six  eggs,  season  with 
salt  and  pepper.  Heat  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  in  a  frying- 
pan,  turn  into  it  a  cupful  of  stewed  and  chopped  tomatoes  from 
which  the  liquor  has  been  drained,  cook  for  two  minutes,  and 
then  stir  in  the  beaten  eggs.  Let  the  omelet  brown  on  the  under 
side,  fold  over  and  serve. 

TOMATO  OMELET.     (No.  2.) 

Stir  a  tablespoonful  of  flour  into  one  of  hot  butter  in  a  frying- 
pan  and  cook  until  it  bubbles  all  over.  Add  to  this  half  a  can 
of  tomatoes,  stewed,  strained,  and  seasoned  with  a  little  onion- 
juice,  salt,  and  pepper.  Cook  three  minutes,  turn  into  a  platter, 
and  let  the  mixture  cool.  When  it  is  stiff  whip  six  eggs  light, 


204  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

yolks  and  whites  together ;  beat  in  the  tomato  mixture  and  fry 
in  a  buttered  omelet-pan. 

It  will  be  found  very  good  if  eaten  before  it  has  a  chance  to 
fall. 

MUSHROOM  OMELET. 

Beat .  six  eggs  just  enough  to  break  the  yolks  and  mix  them 
with  the  whites  ;  add  four  tablespoon fuls  of  cream,  a  dust  of 
salt  and  pepper,  lastly,  half  a  can  of  minced  mushrooms.  Turn 
into  an  omelet-pan  in  which  you  have  heated  a  tablespoonful  of 
butter,  and  cook  as  you  would  a  plain  omelet. 

CLAM   OMELET. 

Chop  a  dozen  clams  fine.  Heat  a  heaping  teaspoonful  of  but- 
ter in  a  saucepan,  stir  in  the  same  quantity  of  flour,  and  when  it 
bubbles  all  over  thin  with  three  tablespoonfuls  of  hot  cream  and 
the  same  of  boiling  clam-juice.  Season  with  a  pinch  of  cayenne 
or  paprica,  and  a  few  drops  of  onion-juice.  Mix  the  chopped 
clams  with  this  and  set  the  saucepan  in  boiling  water  at  the  side 
of  the  range  to  keep  hot.  It  must  get  scalding  hot  but  not  act- 
ually boil. 

Beat  six  eggs  light — yolks  and  whites  together — and  add  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  cream.  Have  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  in 
your  omelet-pan  on  the  fire,  pour  in  the  eggs  ;  shake  the  pan  to 
prevent  the  omelet  from  sticking.  As  soon  as  it  is  fairly  set 
spread  the  clam  mixture  upon  it  and  fold. 

OMELET   AUX   FINES   HERBES. 

Beat  six  eggs  just  enough  to  blend  the  whites  and  yolks  ;  add 
three  tablespoonfuls  of  cream,  dust  with  salt  and  pepper,  and 
just  before  it  goes  into  the  pan  whip  in  as  rapidly  as  possible 
two  heaping  tablespoonfuls  of  chopped  parsley,  sweet  mar- 
joram, celery  tops,  and  as  much  .grated  onion  as  would  lie  on 
a  dime. 

Cook  in  the  usual  way. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  205 

CORN  OMELET. 

Beat  six  eggs  without  separating  yolks  and  whites.  A  dozen 
strokes  will  mix  them  sufficiently.  Add  four  tablespoonfuls  of 
cream  and  four  tablespoonfuls  of  cold  boiled,  or  of  canned,  corn, 
chopped  fine.  Mix  with  three  or  four  whirls  of  your  beater,  and 
cook  in  the  usual  manner. 

OMELET  AND  SHAD  ROES. 

Heat  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  in  a  saucepan  and  stir  into  it 
four  tablespoonfuls  of  shad  roes  that  have  been  boiled,  blanched, 
and  broken  into  a  granulated  heap.  Season  with  a  saltspoonful 
of  salt,  the  same  of  grated  onion,  and  a  dash  of  cayenne  with  a 
teaspoon ful  of  chopped  parsley.  When  the  mixture  is  heated 
through  add  two  tablespoonfuls  of  milk  (or  cream)  with  a  tiny 
pinch  of  soda ;  cook  three  minutes  and  keep  hot  over  boiling  water. 

Beat  five  eggs  for  one  minute,  add  a  tablespoonful  of  cream,  a 
little  salt  and  pepper,  and  turn  into  an  omelet-pan,  where  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  butter  is  beginning  to  hiss.  Shake  until  it  is  set ; 
pour  the  roes  upon  it,  double  over  and  serve. 

CHEESE  OMELET. 

Beat  five  eggs  very  light,  add  a  dash  of  cayenne  and  of  salt 
and  three  tablespoonfuls  of  cream  with  a  pinch  of  soda.  Have 
ready  a  heaping  teaspoonful  of  butter  in  an  omelet-pan,  add  with 
a  few  rapid  strokes  three  tablespoonfuls  of  grated  cheese  to  the 
eggs,  and  cook  at  once. 

Serve  as  soon  as  cooked,  as  it  is  clammy  when  it  falls.  You 
may,  if  you  like  cheese,  sift  more  upon  the  omelet  when  it  is 
dished,  and  hold  a  red-hot  shovel  so  near  it  that  the  cheese  takes 
fire.  Blow  out  and  serve. 

ASPARAGUS  OMELET. 

Six  eggs,  beaten  very  light ;  one  bunch  of  asparagus,  the  green 
tops  only  (the  stalks  will  be  an  improvement  to  your  soup)  ;  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  milk.  Beat  whites  and  yolks  together,  add  the 


206  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

milk,  then  the  boiled  asparagus  heads,  cold,  and  chopped  fine. 
Have  ready  a  frying-pan  with  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  in  it,  hot, 
but  not  frying.  Pour  in  the  mixture ;  shake  well  from  the  bottom 
as  it  forms,  loosening  from  the  pan  with  cake-turner  or  palette- 
knife  ;  fold  over  in  the  middle,  and  turn  the  pan  upside  down 
upon  a  hot  dish. 

EGGS  AND  ASPARAGUS* 

Boil  two  dozen  asparagus  tips  in  hot,  salted  water.  Drain 
and  mix  them  into  a  good  white  sauce,  or  butter  "  drawn  "  in 
milk.  Season  with  pepper  and  salt,  pour  into  a  pudding-dish; 
break  enough  eggs  upon  the  surface  to  cover  it ;  pepper,  salt, 
and  scatter  bits  of  butter  upon  them,  sift  fine  crumbs  over  the 
top,  and  bake  until  the  eggs  are  set. 

A  SPANISH  OMELET. 

Beat  six  eggs  light,  add  two  tablespoonfuls  of  cream,  a  dash  of 
salt  and  cayenne,  and  just  before  it  goes  into  the  pan  stir  in 
lightly  a  green  pepper,  minced  fine,  a  tablespoonful  of  grated 
onion,  a  raw  tomato,  chopped,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  minced 
parsley.  Cook  in  the  usual  way,  fold  upon  itself,  invert  the 
pan  over  a  heated  platter,  and  sift  a  tablespoonful  of  Parmesan 
cheese  upon  the  folded  omelet.  Pour  a  cupful  of  tomato  sauce, 
seasoned  with  onion-juice,  cayenne,  butter,  salt,  and  sugar,  about 
the  omelet  and  serve. 

FAMILIAR  TALK* 

AN  INEXPENSIVE  LUNCHEON. 

They  were  talking  together  of  the  recently  popular  fifty-cent 
luncheons  and  fifty-cent  dinners,  the  Woman  of  Small  Means, 
the  Man  of  the  House,  and  the  Friend  of  the  Family. 

"My  greatest  achievement,"  said  the  Woman  of  Small 
Means,  with  modest  pride,  "was  when  I  had  a  luncheon  for 
three  people  for  ninety  cents." 

"You  mean  ninety  cents  apiece,"  said  the  Friend  of  the 
Family. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  2O/ 

"  No  ;  ninety  cents  for  all  three." 

"  Did  you  give  them  pork  and  beans?  "  queried  the  Man  of 
the  House,  with  an  attempt  at  jocularity. 

"  No;  I  gave  them  five  courses,  exclusive  of  the  coffee  and 
creme  de  menthe  at  the  end. ' ' 

The  Man  of  the  House  is  a  gentleman,  and  he  suppressed 
a  half-uttered  whistle,  and  instantly  indemnified  himself  for  it. 

"Oh,  come  now,"  he  said.  (He  has  the  easy  contempt 
most  men  feel  for  women's  financial  estimates.)  "  You  may 
have  spent  only  ninety  cents  in  direct  outlay,  but  you  didn't 
count  the  things  you  already  had  in  the  house." 

"  Yes,  I  counted  every  one,"  insisted  the  Woman  of  Small 
Means. 

The  Man  of  the  House  said  no  more,  but  his  countenance 
proclaimed  incredulity  in  loud  tones. 

"  Tell  us  how  you  did  it,"  said  the  Friend  of  the  Family. 

"The  bill -of- fare  was  bouillon,  oyster  pates,  chops,  and 
potatoes  a  la  Duchcsse,  salad,  crackers  and  cheese,  grape  fruit 
with  rum  and  sugar,  coffee  and  creme  de  menthe. ' ' 

A  smothered  ejaculation  from  the  Man  of  the  House.  The 
Woman  of  Small  Means  turned  her  back  upon  him  and  addressed 
herself  to  the  Friend  of  the  Family. 

"  Of  course,"  she  said,  apologetically,  "  I  had  to  plan  for  my 
luncheon  in  order  to  get  it  at  that  price.  If  I  had  gone  out  and 
bought  everything  without  consideration,  the  expense  would  have 
been  much  more.  As  it  was,  the  actual  cost  of  the  food  did  not 
exceed  ninety  cents. 

"Take  the  bouillon,  for  instance.  I  bought  a  twenty-five- 
cent  quart  can.  That  holds  enough  to  fill  five  of  my  bouillon- 
cups.  I  had  used  two  cupfuls  the  day  before,  so  I  estimated  the 
cost  of  the  three  cups  served  at  luncheon  at  fifteen  cents. 

"  It  was  the  same  way  with  the  oysters.  I  had  planned  oyster- 
soup  for  my  dinner,  and  had  bought  a  quart  of  oysters  for  thirty 
cents.  I  filched  a  dozen  oysters  and  a  gill  of  the  liquor  from  the 
supply  for  the  soup,  and  had  quite  enough  with  the  sauce  to  fill 
the  three  pate  shells  I  had  bought  for  ten  cents  at  the  French 


208  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

baker's.     I  allowed  eight  cents  for  the  oysters,  seven  for  the  gill 
of  milk,  the  one  egg,  and  the  bit  of  butter  used  in  preparing  them. 

"  My  economical  genius  had  been  at  work  in  the  purchase  of 
the  meat  also.  I  had  bought  a  fore-quarter  of  lamb  at  twelve 
cents  a  pound.  You  know  this  includes  the  shoulder  for  roast- 
ing, the  neck  and  breast  for  stewing,  and  the  chops.  Three  of 
these  weighed  less  than  a  pound.  The  tiny  Duchesse  loaves  of 
potatoes  took  only  a  cupful  of  mashed  potatoes,  and  you  pay  six 
cents  a  quart  for  old  potatoes.  So  my  third  course  did  not  cost 
more  than  thirteen  cents. 

"A  head  of  lettuce  was  five  cents;  a  Neufchatel  cheese — we 
didn't  eat  half  of  it,  and  had  the  rest  for  dinner — was  five  cents 
more. 

"  The  grape  fruit — big  ones — were  three  for  a  quarter,  and  we 
had  half  a  one  apiece,  and  there  was  a  teaspoonful  of  rum  in  each. 
Call  it  fifteen  cents. 

"So  you  see,"  jotting  down  figures  on  the  back  of  a  card, 
"  the  first  course  was  fifteen  cents;  the  second,  twenty-five;  the 
third,  thirteen ;  the  fourth,  ten  ;  the  fifth,  fifteen.  That  makes 
a  total  of  seventy-eight  cents.  Twelve  cents  will  cover  the  three 
small  cups  of  coffee,  the  tiny  portions  of  creme  de  menthe — I  used 
cordial  glasses,  and  they  were  filled  with  ice — the  bread,  butter,  oil, 
vinegar,  etc.  That  is  how  it  was  done,"  she  said,  with  a  glance 
of  triumph  over  her  shoulder  toward  the  Man  of  the  House. 

But  he  had  kept  silence  too  long  to  be  "downed"  in  this 
fashion.  He  fancied  he  saw  his  opportunity,  and  seized  it. 

"  May  I  ask,"  he  said,  assuming  the  labored  patience  and  de- 
liberation a  man  exhibits  when  he  wishes  to  crush  an  illogical 
woman,  "  where  in  all  this  beautiful  estimate  do  you  put  the  cost 
of  the  fire,  the  skill  of  the  cook,  the  services  of  the  waitress?  " 

"  Oh,  those  don't  count,"  replied  the  Woman  of  Small  Means, 
calmly.  "They  never  allow  for  the  salary  of  the  chef  in  the 
fashionable  fifty-cent  luncheons  and  dinners. ' ' 

And  the  Man  of  the  House,  "sad,  surprised,  astounded  by  the 
sovereign  strength  of  woman's — "  logic,  said  no  more. 

C-  T.  H. 


CHEESE  DISHES. 


WELSH  RAREBIT.  (No.  I.) 

WHILE  the  respectable  and  growing  tribe  of  Welsh  rarebits  can 
be  made  in  a  frying-pan  over  the  fire,  the  more  graceful,  easy, 
and  popular  method  is  to  cook  them  with  the  chafing-dish  on  the 
table  in  the  sight  of  the  prospective  eaters.  The  accompanying 
comprehensive  recipe  is  taken  verbatim  from  "  THE  CHAFING- 
DISH  SUPPER,"  *  by  Mrs.  Herrick's  colleague  in  the  prep- 
aration of  the  present  volume. 

Melt  a  heaping  tablespoonful  of  butter  in  the  chafing-dish  with 
a  saltspoonful  of  dry  mustard,  and  stir  into  this  three  cupfuls  of 
grated  cheese.  As  it  begins  to  soften  add  about  a  gill  of  ale,  or 
in  default  of  this  an  equal  quantity  of  boiling  water.  If  water 
or  boiling  milk  is  used,  it  produces  what  is  known  as  a  "  tem- 
perance Welsh  rarebit."  Stir  vigorously  all  the  time,  and  when 
the  mixture  is  thick,  smooth,  and  a  rich  yellow,  it  is  done. 
Three  or  four  minutes  should  suffice  after  the  cheese  is  in,  but  it 
is  almost  impossible  to  give  a  positive  rule  for  cooking  Welsh 
rarebit.  If  the  cooking  is  checked  too  soon  the  cheese  becomes 
tough  and  stringy  ;  if  it  continues  too  long  there  is  danger  that 
it  will  curdle.  Only  the  eye  of  experience  can  tell  when  the  ex- 
act point  is  reached  to  produce  a  compound  of  delicious  indiges- 
tibility.  It  should  be  served  on  toast,  but  if  this  is  not  at  hand 
square  snowflake  crackers  make  very  tolerable  substitutes. 

*  The  Chafing-Dish  Supper.     By  Christine  Terhune  Herrick.    Published 
by  Charles  Scribner'^^Sons. 
14 


2IO  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

WELSH  RAREBIT.    (No.  2.) 

Cut  into  shavings  a  pound  of  soft,  mild  cheese.  The  richer 
and  drier  kinds  are  not  suitable  for  this  dish.  Put  into  the 
chafing-dish  with  a  gill  of  the  best  ale  and  stir  over  the  blaze 
until  the  cheese  melts  in  the  hot  ale.  Stir  in,  then,  half  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  dry  mustard,  the  same  quantity  of  salt,  and  a  dash 
of  cayenne.  Pour  upon  rounds  of  hot  buttered  toast  and  serve 
immediately. 

WELSH  RAREBIT.    (No.  3.) 

Pour  into  the  saucepan  of  your  chafing-dish  and  set  directly 
over  the  blaze,  a  pint  of  good  ale.  (Bass's  is  perhaps  the  best, 
but  Manhattan  beer  is  excellent,  and  cheaper.)  When  it  boils 
stir  in  a  pound  of  soft  cheese,  cut  into  dice.  As  it  melts  add  a 
tablespoonful  of  cream,  a  saltspoonful  of  dry  mustard  and  the 
same  of  salt,  with  a  generous  pinch  of  cayenne.  Stir  until  the 
whole  mixture  is  hot,  and  ladle  out  upon  hot  toasted  crackers, 
buttered. 

WELSH  RAREBIT.    (No.  4.) 

Put  a  cupful  of  milk  and  one  of  cream  into  your  saucepan,  with 
a  bit  of  soda  the  size  of  a  pea.  When  the  boil  begins  add  two 
cupfuls  of  soft,  mild  cheese  (American),  with  a  teaspoonful  of 
made  mustard,  a  saltspoonful  of  paprica,  and  a  well-whipped 
egg.  Pour  upon  rounds  of  buttered  toast,  each  of  which  has  been 
moistened  with  a  teaspoonful  of  hot  cream. 

GOLDEN  BUCK.    (No.  J.) 

Melt  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  over  boiling  water,  add  a  cupful 
of  ale  or  beer,  and  when  this  is  scalding  stir  in  half  a  pound  of 
good  American  cheese,  shaved  fine,  or  grated.  When  the  mixt- 
ure is  smooth  put  in  an  even  saltspoonful  of  celery-salt,  the  same 
of  dry  mustard,  and  a  pinch  of  cayenne.  Have  ready  the  yolks 
and  whites  of  two  eggs,  beaten  separately  very  light,  then  stirred 
together.  Add  to  this,  gradually  and  rapidly,  a  great  spoonful  at 
a  time  of  the  hot  cheese  mixture.  When  well  incorporated  and 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  211 

creamy  put  in  a  teaspoonful  each  of  Worcestershire  sauce  and 
lemon-juice.  Pour  upon  hot  buttered  toast  or  crackers,  and  eat 
at  once. 

GOLDEN  BUOC    (No.  2.) 

Make  Welsh  Rarebit,  Nos.  i,  2,  or  3,  pour  upon  rounds  of  but- 
tered toast  and  lay  a  poached  egg  upon  each.  Salt,  pepper,  and 
butter  the  egg. 

GOLDEN  BUCK.    (No.  3.) 

Heat  together  a  tablespoonful  of  butter,  a  saltspoonful  each  of 
dry  mustard  and  of  salt,  with  a  pinch  of  cayenne.  When  well 
mixed  and  boiling  add  a  cupful  of  hot  milk  (heated  with  a  bit 
of  soda  no  larger  than  a  pea)  in  which  has  been  soaked  a  half 
cupful  of  cracker-crumbs  and  a  cupful  of  grated  cheese.  Cook 
all  together  three  minutes,  or  until  smoking-hot,  add  two  well- 
beaten  eggs,  stir  one  minute — no  more — and  heap  upon  rounds 
of  buttered  toast. 

Eat  at  once. 

CHEESE  FONDU  AU  GRATIN. 

Soak  a  cupful  of  dry  bread-crumbs  in  two  cupfuls  of  hot  milk 
for  fifteen  minutes.  Dissolve  a  generous  pinch  of  soda  in  the 
milk  while  heating.  Stir  into  this  paste  three  well-beaten  eggs, 
a  tablespoonful  of  melted  butter,  a  pinch  of  cayenne,  and  a  salt- 
spoonful  of  salt ;  lastly,  beat  in  rapidly  a  cupful  of  grated  cheese. 
Pour  into  a  greased  pudding-dish,  strew  dry  cracker-crumbs  on 
top,  stick  bits  of  butter  in  them,  dust  delicately  with  cayenne 
or  paprica,  and  bake  in  a  quick  oven,  covered,  for  fifteen  min- 
utes, then  uncover  and  brown  lightly.  Send  to  table  at  once,  as 
it  falls  very  soon.  While  puffy  and  hot  it  is  delicious. 

CHEESE  SOUFFLEE. 

Beat  four  eggs  light  and  pour  upon  them  gradually  a  cupful  of 
hot  milk  in  which  has  been  dissolved  a  large  pinch  of  soda,  and 
which  was  then  thickened  with  a  teaspoonful  of  corn-starch. 
Stir  until  well  mixed,  add  a  good  tablespoonful  of  butter,  a  dash 


212  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

of  cayenne,  and  a  saltspoonful  of  salt,  finally,  an  even  cupful  of 
dry  grated  cheese.  Beat  well  and  quickly  for  less  than  a  min- 
ute, pour  into  well-buttered  custard-cups  or  into  buttered  nappies 
and  bake  in  a  quick  oven,  ten  minutes,  or  until  puffy  and  lightly 
browned.  Cover  with  paper  until  they  begin  to  rise. 

Serve  in  the  cups  and  pass  with  them  crackers,  toasted,  but- 
tered, and  lightly  peppered  with  cayenne. 

CHEESE  RAMAKINS. 

Beat  to  a  cream  two  eggs,  a  tablespoonful  of  melted  butter,  a 
saltspoonful  of  salt,  a  pinch  of  cayenne,  and  three  tablespoon fuls 
of  grated  cheese.  Work  all  well  into  a  smooth  paste,  stir  in  a 
tablespoonful  of  cream  in  which  has  been  wet  up  a  teaspoonful 
of  flour.  Beat  one  minute,  spread  upon  rounds  of  buttered  toast 
or  crackers,  and  brown  slightly  upon  the  upper  grating  of  a  hot 
oven. 

CHEESE  AND  TONGUE  RAMAKINS. 

Make  as  directed  in  the  foregoing  recipe,  but  mix  with  the 
paste,  besides  the  grated  cheese,  one  great  spoonful  of  minced 
tongue,  boiled  and  cold.  Mix  all  thoroughly  together  and  stir 
in  at  the  last  a  cupful  of  hot  cream  in  which  has  been  dissolved 
half  a  saltspoonful  of  soda.  Boil  up  once,  and  pour  upon  rounds 
of  buttered  toast. 

CHEESE  FINGERS, 

Cut  good  puff-paste  into  strips  three  inches  long  and  two 
inches  wide.  Strew  thickly  with  Parmesan  cheese,  sprinkle  with 
salt  and  cayenne,  double  the  strips  lengthwise,  creasing  them 
firmly  so  that  they  shall  not  open  in  baking,  and  bake  in  a  quick 
oven.  Brush  with  beaten  white  of  egg  three  minutes  before 
taking  them  up,  and  sift  powdered  cheese  upon  them. 

DEVILED  CRACKERS  AND  CHEESE, 

Split  Boston  crackers  in  two,  and  toast  on  the  inside.  Moisten 
them  with  a  mixture  of  boiling  water,  butter,  French  mustard, 
and  celery-salt.  Keep  this  at  a  hard  boil  on  the  stove,  dip  each 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  21$ 

cracker  in  it,  and  draw  it  out  almost  immediately.  Ten  seconds 
will  wet  it  sufficiently.  Spread  each  cracker  with  grated  cheese, 
sprinkle  with  cayenne  or  paprica,  as  you  may  prefer,  and  set 
them  in  a  broad  pan  upon  the  upper  grating  of  your  oven  until 
the  cheese  melts  and  the  crackers  are  almost  dry. 

CHEESE  CROUSTADES. 

Cut  thick  rounds  of  stale  bread,  and  hollow  them  as  directed 
in  recipe  for  Egg-cups,  by  marking  a  smaller  circle  within  the 
outer  and  digging  out  the  crumb  half  through  the  bread.  Butter 
them  well  and  set  in  a  quick  oven  until  crisp  and  slightly  browned. 
Rub  to  a  cream  four  tablespoon  fu Is  of  grated  cheese,  a  great  tea- 
spoonful  of  butter,  a  tablespoonful  of  cream,  a  little  salt  and 
cayenne.  Fill  the  hollowed  rounds  of  toast  with  the  mixture, 
and  set  for  four  or  five  minutes  longer  in  the  oven.  Serve  at 
once. 

CHEESE  STRAWS. 

Make  as  you  would  cheese  fingers,  but  half  as  wide. 

Or— 

Work  up  a  cupful  of  prepared  flour  with  four  tablespoonfuls  of 
grated  cheese,  a  little  salt  and  cayenne,  the  beaten  yolk  of  an  egg, 
and  cream  enough  to  make  a  soft  paste.  Roll  out  thin  and  cut 
into  narrow  strips  as  long  as  your  middle  finger  and  one-third  as 
broad.  Bake  to  a  pale  brown,  and  just  before  taking  them  up 
brush  over  with  white  of  egg  and  sift  powdered  cheese  upon 
them. 

CHEESE  BALLS. 

Half  a  cupful  of  grated  cheese ;  whites  of  two  eggs,  beaten 
stiff.  Mix  quickly  with  a  spoon  ;  mould  with  floured  hands  into 
balls  twice  as  large  .as  English  walnuts  and  drop  into  scalding 
cottolene.  Cook  five  minutes,  skim  out  of  the  fat,  and  drain 
upon  a  cloth.  Serve  hot.  They  are  less  indigestible  if  sea- 
soned with  salt  and  cayenne. 


214  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

COTTAGE  CHEESE. 

Set  a  bowl  of  loppered  milk  (bonny-clabber)  upon  the  range 
where  it  will  heat  very  slowly.  As  soon  as  the  curd  has  fairly 
separated  from  the  whey  turn  it  upon  a  sieve  or  into  a  colander 
lined  with  coarse  muslin  or  mosquito-netting  and  let  it  drip  dry. 
Then  gather  up  the  cloth  into  a  bag  and  squeeze  out  the  few 
drops  of  whey  that  remain.  Set  in  a  cold  place  until  you  are 
ready  to  use  it,  when  work  soft  with  a  little  butter  and  cream, 
salting  to  taste.  Stir  and  shape  the  mixture  until  it  is  of  the 
consistency  of  Brie  cheese.  When  thus  handled  it  is  as  palatable 
as  any  of  the  foreign  (so-called)  fashionable  cheeses,  and  far  more 
wholesome. 

HOME-MADE  CREAM  CHEESE. 

Put  a  panful  of  milk,  warm  from  the  cow,  upon  the  range  and 
let  it  come  very  slowly  to  the  scalding-point.  Watch  that 
it  does  not  begin  to  boil.  Remove  it  now  to  a  very  cold  place 
— a  refrigerator  closet,  if  you  have  one — and  leave  it  for  six 
hours.  Take  off  the  cream  and  press  it  gently  into  glass  cups, 
bowls,  or  deep  saucers.  Sift  a  little  fine  salt  over  the  surface  of 
each  portion  and  set  in  a  cold  place,  to  be  eaten  upon  heated 
crackers  with  salad  or  with  gooseberry  jam.  It  is  delicious. 

FAMILIAR  TALK. 

TEA,  TEA-MAKING,  AND  TEA-DRINKING. 

Dogberry  figured  as  a  masculine  type  of  a  mighty  class  when 
he  opined  that  "  reading  and  writing  come  by  nature." 

A  modern  Mrs.  Dogberry  would  give  prominence  among 
things  that  are  too  easy  to  be  learned  to  Tea-Making.  She 
troubles  herself  little,  to  begin  with,  with  the  quality  of  the  tea 
she  buys.  So  long  as  it  is  not  costly,  if  she  be  in  moderate  cir- 
cumstances, she  takes  what  is  offered  her  by  her  grocer  and  asks 
no  questions.  If  she  be  wealthy  she  satisfies  herself  that  she  buys 
the  best  brand  of  tea  when  she  orders  the  highest-priced. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

Brands  of  tea  are  many,  and  each  is  warranted  to  be  superior 
to  all  the  rest.  As  a  rule,  avoid  cheap — and  bulky — teas.  They 
are  largely  adulterated  with  foreign  and  domestic  herbs,  the 
former  being  represented  by  dried  huckleberry  leaves,  the  latter 
by  dried -over  teas  that  have  been  already  used,  and  by  inferior 
qualities  which  the  Chinese  will  not  drink.  Green  teas  are  often 
"doctored  "  by  dyes  in  which  Prussian  blue  holds  a  conspicuous 
place. 

Again,  teas  may  be  high  in  price  and  pure  in  quality  and  be 
done  to  their  death  and  the  injury  of  the  drinkers  by  the  making 
— or  marring. 

We  are  all,  unhappily,  well  acquainted  with  the  astringent 
flavor  of  stewed  tea,  which  has  been  left  to  simmer  upon  the 
range  or  hob,  until  all  the  tannic  acid  latent  in  the  herb  is  drawn 
out  into  the  decoction.  It  is  even  less  drinkable  when  (nomi- 
nally) made  of  unboiled  water,  reminding  the  partaker  thereof  of 
tepid  dish-water,  scantily  or  abundantly  sweetened.  Such  is  the 
beverage  usually  compounded  at  country  hotels  and  boarding- 
houses.  It  is  almost  as  usually  served  in  cups  such  as  were  com- 
plained of  by  the  witty  tourist  who  objected  to  "sipping  her  tea 
over  the  edge  of  a  stone  wall." 

It  is  still  a  matter  of  curious  inquiry  who  established  the  cus- 
tom of  tea-drinking.  It  must  have  been  a  woman,  and  it  is  a 
comparatively  modern  "fad."  Queen  Elizabeth  and  her  more 
refined  sister,  Mary,  had  beer — and  plenty  of  it — for  breakfast. 
Marie  Stuart  took  nothing  stronger  than  perfumed  eau  sucre. 
Without  ice,  too.  Queen  Anne  consumed  incredible  quantities 
of  brown  stout,  which,  if  newspaper  gossip  is  to  be  received  as 
evidence,  is  still  popular  among  feminine  sovereigns. 

Everybody  has  heard  of  the  good  Yankee  house-mother,  one  of 
the  first  settlers  in  New  England,  whose  son,  a  seafaring  man, 
brought  to  her  a  small  package  of  tea  from  China.  The  good 
soul,  delighted  with  the  gift,  boiled  it,  strained  off  and  threw 
away  the  water,  and  served  the  leaves  as  greens,  presumably  with 
the  accompaniment  of  salt  pork  or  corned  beef.  We  know  that 
our  Revolutionary  forempthers  used  tea,  but  if  they  had  the  same 


2l6  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

fondness  for  it  their  descendants  display,  they  could  hardly  have 
given  a  greater  proof  of  their  patriotism  than  when  they  encour- 
aged husbands  and  sons  to  throw  the  precious  cargo  overboard. 

Women  of  all  classes  become  each  year  more  dependent  on 
this,  their  favorite  beverage.  Men,  as  a  rule,  prefer  coffee — 
possibly  because  the  proper  mode  of  preparing  it  is  more  gener- 
ally understood,  and,  consequently,  the  chances  are  in  favor  of  its 
palatableness.  Our  "  comfort  "  is  frowned  upon  by  the  stronger 
sex  as  "  weak,  sloppy  stuff,"  disapprobation  justified  by  the  fact 
that  most  wives  and  mothers  are  so  deficient  in  the  knowledge, 
or  derelict  in  the  practice  of  the  correct  method  of  brewing  the 
"ladies'  nectar,"  that,  on  nine  tables  out  of  ten,  it  is  a  carica- 
ture of  the  fragrant  amber  fluid  that  should  steam  in  the  cups. 
One  good  woman  goes  so  far  as  to  affirm  that  while  green  tea 
should  "  only  be  drawed  quite  a  while,  black  tea  must  always  be 
boiled!''' 

Yet  the  one  and  only  way  is  so  simple  that  the  wonder  is 
how  a  child  could  err  therein. 

When  you  use  good  mixed  tea,  the  old  saying,  "  A  level  tea- 
spoonful  for  each  person  and  one  for  the  pot,"  is  about  as  good 
a  rule  for  quantity  as  you  can  follow,  when  the  number  of 
drinkers  is  not  more  than  six  or  eight. 

First,  and  above  all,  have  the  water  boiling.  Not  "just  off 
the  boil,"  not  already  boiled,  but  actually  boiling.  Few  per- 
sons appreciate  the  great  difference  between  water  that  has  been 
cooked  some  time  and  that  which  has  just  attained  the  point  of 
ebullition.  One  has  life  and  sparkle ;  the  other  is  as  flat  as 
two-days'  uncorked  champagne.  You  will  be  obliged  to  give 
this  your  personal  supervision,  as  the  average  servant  is  without 
conscience — and  sense — in  the  matter.  She  will  state,  with 
the  utmost  sang-froid,  that  the  water  must  be  all  right,  for  "  it 
boiled  an  hour  ago. ' ' 

The  only  safe  and  the  most  convenient  way  is  to  make  your 
tea  on  the  table. 

Arrange  on  the  tray  in  front  of  you  a  bowl  of  block  sugar, 
cups,  spoons,  cream -pitcher,  and  a  small  tea-canister.  This 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

last  article  may  be  of  silver,  solid  or  plated,  or  of  expensive,  or 
cheap,  though  pretty,  china.  There  is  in  every  china-shop 
such  a  large  variety  of  them  that  the  housewife  can  easily  find 
one  to  suit  her — or  her  purse.  When  of  porcelain,  they  have  two 
tops,  that  the  tea  may  not  lose  its  strength,  and  are  daintier 
and  more  convenient  when  not  large.  For  fifty  cents  one  can  get 
a  bit  of  pretty  Japanese  ware  that  would  grace  any  board.  When 
you  buy  several  pounds  of  tea,  keep  it  in  a  tightly  closed  can- 
ister, and  fill  your  little  caddy  from  this. 

Try  always  to  have  cream  for  your  tea.  You  need  so  small 
an  amount  that  you  will  scarcely  notice  the  extra  cost,  and  it 
adds  immeasurably  to  the  rich  flavor  of  the  beverage.  Pitchers 
are  now  made  in  such  tiny,  dainty  shapes,  that  your  half-pint  of 
cream  will  fill  one  to  overflowing. 

Use  a  small  silver  tea-strainer,  that  the  minute  leaves  and 
sticks  which  escape  through  the  spout  may  not  get  into  the 
cups.  A  person  who  habitually  drinks  unstrained  tea  can 
scarcely  imagine  the  de-appetizing  effect  it  produces  upon  one 
unaccustomed  to  the  sight  of  the  particles,  the  nature  of  which 
is  doubtful,  floating  about  on  the  surface.  It  is  sometimes,  es- 
pecially during  the  summer  months,  unpleasantly  suggestive  of 
dismembered  flies  and  other  insects.  Years  ago,  before  the  in- 
troduction of  the  strainer,  young  girls  called  these  atoms  of 
leaves  "  beaux,"  and  when  the  tea  was  drunk,  delighted  in  tell- 
ing fortunes  from  the  mass  of  sediment  in  the  bottom  of  the  cup. 
This  was  certainly  a  graceful  way  of  disposing  of  a  most  dis- 
agreeable subject.  But  let  us,  of  a  more  enlightened  time,  use 
strainers. 

At  your  right  hand  have  a  brass,  copper,  or  silver  kettle, 
heated  by  a  small  spirit-lamp.  Pretty  brass  kettles  range  in 
price  from  $3. 50  to  $25.00.  Some  of  them  rest  on  a  standard 
on  the  table,  while  others  depend  from  a  high  crane  set  on  the 
floor  at  the  pourer's  right  hand.  These  cranes  are  of  iron, 
fashioned  usually  in  the  shape  of  the  figure  5,  and  are  "  the 
thing  "  for  five-o'clock  tea. 

Kettles  of  solid  silver  are  useful,  so  long  as  they  do  not  (as 


218  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

sometimes  happens)  melt  when  heated  by  the  flame  of  the  alco- 
hol lamp.  They  should  never  be  placed  on  the  stove. 

Fill  your  kettle  with  hot  water,  and  light  the  lamp.  Put 
into  the  tea-pot  the  requisite  quantity  of  tea ;  when  the  water 
boils  pour  enough  on  the  leaves  to  cover  them,  and  put  the 
kettle  again  over  the  lighted  wick.  Cover  the  tea-pot  closely. 
At  the  end  of  three  minutes  the  steeping  process  will  be  com- 
pleted, and  you  may  fill  the  pot  with  the  still  boiling  water. 
After  it  has  stood  a  minute  longer  the  delicious  drink  is  ready 
to  be  enjoyed. 

If  you  cannot  afford  to  buy,  and  if  nobody  presents  you  with 
one  of  these  almost  necessary  kettles,  make  up  your  mind  always 
to  go  into  the  kitchen  yourself  and  ascertain  that  the  water  is 
boiling  before  allowing  the  servant  to  wet  the  tea. 

One  of  the  requisites  in  a  good  cup  of  tea  is  to  have  it  very 
hot.  This  object  should  not  be  attained  by  allowing  the  pot 
to  stand  on  the  side  of  the  range,  or,  after  the  manner  of  our 
grandmothers,  on  the  hob,  where  it  is  almost  sure  to  stew  and 
be  ruined,  but  by  covering  it  while  on  the  table  with  a  cosey ; 
or  you  may  have  a  basket-cosey.  This  is  a  small,  round  hamper 
with  a  wadded  lining,  and  holds  a  Japanese  tea-pot.  The  cover 
of  the  cosey  clamps  down,  and  as  the  spout  protrudes  through  an 
opening  in  the  basket  the  tea  may,  if  desired,  be  poured  without 
removing  the  pot  from  its  warm  nest.  Different  sizes  of  the  ham- 
per-cosey  are  kept  at  Japanese  stores. 

To  make  a  cosey,  cut  two  semicircles  of  some  thick,  rich-col- 
ored material,  such  as  tricot,  felt,  plush,  or  velvet,  and  join  these 
at  the  top  and  sides.  Cut  two  half-circles  a  little  smaller  than 
the  others,  of  very  heavy  wadding,  and  still  another  pair  of  satin, 
or  sateen,  for  the  lining.  Fit  the  wadding  inside  of  this,  and  quilt 
or  tack  the  wadding  to  the  lining  to  prevent  its  slipping.  The 
seams  at  sides  and  bottom  should  be  finished  with  a  silk  cord 
fastened  in  loops  at  the  tops  and  corners.  When  finished,  the 
whole  fits  over  the  tea-pot  like  a  snug  cap. 

Before  making  the  cosey  you  may  have  the  sides  stamped  with 
your  initials,  a  design,  or  an  appropriate  motto.  I  have  seen  on 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  2  19 

the  table  of  a  friend  a  pretty  one,  the  material  of  which  was  pea- 
cock-blue tricot.  Upon  one  side  was  embroidered  a  branch  of 
tea-flowers,  while  the  other  bore  the  words  : 


"  Come,  £np  %  fe's  gelkiows  <f  lofoer  !  " 
Other  appropriate  mottoes  are  : 

"  $0%  |ui  tfee  Settle  en  I  " 

"  &ty  Cup  tfcai  <%ers  !  " 
and 

"  Come  anb  Cuke  &ea  !  " 

The  housekeeper  who  has  once  known  the  abiding  comfort  of  a 
cosey  would  wrap  up  her  tea-pot  in  a  heavy  towel,  or  improvise  a 
covering  out  of  still  more  unlikely  material,  rather  than  do  with- 
out an  adjunct  to  the  tea  equipage  that  secures  the  triple  end  of 
conserving  heat,  strength,  and  aroma. 

The  tea-tray  must  always  be  covered  with  a  cloth.  A  tasteful 
design  in  outline  for  a  tray-cloth  is  traced  around  the  border,  and 
runs  : 

Unless  %  Jieiile  Soiling  $e, 

filing  %  &ea-pot  Spoils  tjje  Cea, 

Do  not  use  thick  china.  For  a  small  sum  you  can  purchase 
pretty  porcelain  cups  and  saucers.  The  tea  drunk  from  one  of 
these  will  taste  better  than  if  partaken  of  over  the  aforementioned 
"stone  wall." 

The  graceful  fashion  of  afternoon  tea  has  done  and  is  doing 
more  to  make  simple  and  easy  what  has  grown  in  American 
society  to  be  the  "  business  of  entertaining  "  one's  friends  than 
anyone  who  has  not  studied  the  subject  is  willing  to  believe. 
The  tea  equipage,  as  arranged  upon  a  rustic  stand  on  the 
veranda  in  summer,  and  near  the  library  fire  in  winter,  typifies 
home  comfort  and  hospitable  cheer  to  those  who  are  used  to  the 
genial  refreshment  between  four  and  six  o'clock  every  afternoon. 


220  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

The  modest  display  and  the  offered  dainties  involve  no  dis- 
turbance in  the  household  machinery.  A  few  cups  and  saucers, 
ajar  of  dinner  or  Albert  biscuits,  or  a  plate  of  thin  bread-and- 
butter,  with,  now  and  then,  a  dish  of  buttered  scones  ;  the  tea- 
kettle and  stand  ;  the  tea-pot  and  caddy,  a  sugar-dish,  and  a 
cream-jug — and  voild  tout !  It  costs  a  maid  but  a  few  minutes' 
work  to  set  it  all  in  place,  and  to  remove  the  tray  when  the 
canonical  hour  is  over.  The  hostess  makes  and  dispenses  the 
tea  with  her  own  hands,  a  young  girl  visitor,  or  the  son  of  the 
house,  or  any  privileged  guest,  passes  the  biscuit-jar.  The  spirit 
of  the  hour  is  ease  and  good-will.  Wits  arouse  and  tongues  are 
unlimbered  under  the  influence  of  the  fragrant  nervine. 

In  summer  give  your  guests  their  choice  between  hot  and  iced 
tea,  and  if  the  latter  be  chosen,  pass  sliced  lemon  and  Jamaica 
rum  for  those  who  care  to  disguise  the  flavor  of  what  is  good 
enough  in  itself  to  satisfy  the  born  or  educated  tea-lover. 

M.    H. 


VEGETABLES. 


POTATOES. 

THEY  are  not  placed  first  upon  the  list  of  vegetables  in  this 
work  because  they  are  especially  nutritious.  The  potato  holds 
seventy-five  parts  of  water  and  eighteen  of  starch  out  of  one 
hundred.  The  remaining  seven  parts  are — albuminoids,  one  and 
a  half;  organic  acids,  one  and  one-fifth  ;  dextrine,  two  parts  ;  fat 
nothing  and  one-third  ;  cellulose,  one  part ;  minerals,  one  part. 

He  who  esteems  potatoes  to  be  the  rod  and  staff  of  life  may 
ponder  the  analysis  and  extract  what  comfort  he  can  from  it. 

Nor  are  potatoes  to  be  classed  among  the  most  digestible  of 
vegetables.  Starch  and  water  in  certain  combinations  clog  the 
alimentary  organs,  and  unripe  potatoes  irritate  them.  A  diet  of 
the  favorite  tuber  is  not  wholesome  for  young  children,  and  the 
laboring  man,  though  a  fool  in  the  matter  of  dietetics,  speedily 
learns  that  he  must  combine  meat  or  milk  with  them  if  he  would 
retain  strength  of  muscle  and  integrity  of  bone. 

So  firmly  rooted  in  the  average  intellect  is  the  belief  that  this 
vegetable  deserves  the  high  rank  it  holds  upon  the  national  bill 
of  fare,  and  in  the  affections  of  housewife  and  those  to  whom  she 
ministers,  that  an  article  entitled  "The  Tyrant  Potato,"  pub- 
lished in  a  leading  periodical  three  years  ago,  drew  down  upon 
the  writer  of  that  and  of  the  present  protest  a  storm  of  dissent, 
and  even  personal  vituperation,  conveyed  by  private  letters, 
newspaper  paragraphs,  and  resolutions  drafted  by  food  conven- 
tions. 

The  Tyrant  Potato  was  not  assailed  ignorantly  or  flippantly, 
and  after  further  studies  of  its  properties,  its  works,  and  its  ways, 


222  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

the  utmost  concession  that  is  now  made  to  popular  prejudice  is 
in  the  declaration  that  since  people  will  make  potatoes  nine- 
tenths  of  their  vegetable  diet,  it  is  essential  to  the  national  diges- 
tion that  the  ninety-three  parts  of  water  and  starch  be  cooked  in 
such  manner  as  shall  render  the  edible  as  palatable  and  as  little 
hurtful  as  is  practicable  when  the  constituents  are  not  to  be 
ignored. 

BOILED  POTATOES  (AU  NATUREL). 

The  work  is  so  simple  that  it  is  seldom  well  done.  Wash  the 
potatoes,  cover  with  plenty  of  boiling  water,  slightly  salted,  and 
cook  fast  until  a  fork  will  penetrate  easily  to  the  heart  of  the 
largest.  Drain  off  every  drop  of  water ;  shake  them  up  lightly, 
throw  in  a  little  salt,  and  set  the  pot  at  the  back  of  the  range 
for  five  minutes.  The  skins  should  crack  and  roll  open,  mak- 
ing the  work  of  removing  them  easy.  Do  it  rapidly,  put  a  bit 
of  butter  upon  each  potato,  set  in  the  oven  for  one  minute,  and 
serve. 

Never  serve  potatoes  boiled  or  baked  whole  in  a  closely 
covered  dish.  They  become  sodden  and  clammy.  Cover  with 
a  folded  napkin  that  allows  the  steam  to  escape,  or  absorbs  the 
moisture. 

MASHED  POTATOES. 

Peel  very  thin,  and  drop  the  potatoes,  cut  or  whole,  into 
cold  water.  Leave  them  there  for  half  an  hour,  and  put  over 
the  fire  in  plenty  of  boiling,  salted  water.  Cook  until  a  fork 
penetrates  the  largest  easily  ;  drain  and  dry  as  directed  in  the 
last  recipe,  and  beat  up  with  a  split  spoon  or  two  forks  to  a 
powdery  heap,  then  mix  into  this  a  little  hot  milk  in  which  a 
lump  of  butter  has  been  melted,  salt  to  taste,  and  beat  to  a  cream. 
Stiff  mashed  potatoes  are  an  offence  to  eye,  taste,  and  stomach. 
Turn  into  a  hot,  deep  dish,  and  leave  the  top  rough.  The  mixt- 
ure should  be  just  firm  enough  to  stand  alone,  and  the  more 
irregular  the  surface  the  better.  Do  not  level  or  mould  it  or 
variegate  with  dabs  of  pepper  put  on  with  the  end  of  the 
thumb. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  22$ 

MOULDED  MASHED  POTATOES. 

Prepare  mashed  potatoes  as  usual  with  milk,  butter,  and  season- 
ing, press  them  hard  into  a  fluted  mould  that  has  been  wet  with 
cold  water.  Turn  out,  set  the  dish  on  which  they  are  in  the 
oven  for  five  minutes,  and  serve.  If  you  wish,  brush  the  potato 
over  with  beaten  egg  after  turning  it  out,  and  before  setting  in 
the  oven. 

NEW  POTATOES. 

Wash,  rub  the  skins  off  with  a  rough  cloth,  put  on  the  fire  in 
boiling  water,  slightly  salted,  and  cook  until  tender.  Serve 
whole. 

WHOLE  STEWED  POTATOES. 

Peel  the  potatoes  and  put  them  over  the  fire  in  cold  water. 
Bring  to  a  boil  and  cook  until  tender.  Turn  off  the  water,  cover 
them  with  warm  milk,  and  stew  ten  minutes.  Transfer  the  po- 
tatoes to  a  vegetable  dish,  thicken  the  milk  in  which  they  were 
cooked  with  a  teaspoonful  of  butter  rolled  in  a  tablespoonful  of 
flour,  and  season  with  salt,  pepper,  and  minced  parsley.  Pour 
this  over  the  potatoes,  pressing  each  with  a  spoon  so  as  to  crack 
it. 

POTATO  TURNOVERS. 

Chop  a  few  slices  of  yesterday's  roast  fine,  and  season  well. 
Have  ready  mashed  potato,  mix  one  or  two  raw  eggs  with  it  un- 
til it  is  like  a  paste  and  can  be  spread  out,  sprinkle  with  flour 
and  cut  out  round  cakes  ;  put  a  tablespoonful  or  more  of  the 
meat  upon  one  cake;  lay  another  over  it  and  press  the  edges 
together,  and  fry  in  hot  cottolene  to  a  delicate  brown. 

POTATO  SCONES. 

Two  cupfuls  of  mashed  potatoes,  salt  to  taste,  three  table- 
spoonfuls  of  flour,  one  tablespoonful  of  butter. 

Work  the  butter,  flour,  and  salt  into  the  potato  and  roll  out 
into  thin  cakes.  Brown  on  a  well-greased  griddle  and  eat  with 
butter  while  very  hot. 


224  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 


MOULDED  POTATO. 

Mash,  or,  rather,  beat  up  lightly  with  a  fork.  Work  in  but- 
ter and  milk,  but  do  not  get  it  too  soft.  Fill  small  cups,  wet 
with  cold  water,  with  the  potato,  pack  down  firmly,  and  turn  out 
upon  a  greased  bake-pan.  Brown  in  a  quick  oven  until  they  are 
of  a  russet  hue,  glazing  with  butter  as  they  color.  Transfer  to  a 
flat,  hot  dish. 

LYONNAISE  POTATOES. 

Cut  or  chop  cold  Irish  potatoes  into  bits  about  half  an  inch 
square.  Heat  good  dripping  in  a  frying-pan,  salt  and  pep- 
per it,  and  fry  in  this  two  or  three  slices  of  onion.  Take  these 
out  and  throw  away.  Put  the  potatoes  into  the  hissing  fat  and 
turn  often  to  prevent  them  from  browning,  until  they  are  very 
hot  all  through.  Mix  in  with  them  now  a  teaspoonful  of  finely 
minced  parsley,  stir,  and  toss  it  into  the  potatoes  for  two  minutes, 
and  dish.  There  should  be  just  enough  fat  to  cook  the  potatoes, 
but  not  enough  to  make  them  greasy  to  dripping  when  you  take 
them  out.  Serve  very  hot.  This  dish  is  known  on  hotel  bills- 
of- fare  as  " Lyonnaise  Potatoes"  (pronounced  "Xfionnaise"), 
and  is  a  general  favorite,  although  seldom  really  well  cooked. 
Sometimes  the  onion  is  minced  and  stirred  in  with  the  potatoes 
while  the  latter  are  cooking,  a  ranker  and  coarser  preparation  of 
the  materials  than  that  here  given.  The  common  fault  is  to 
make  the  whole  too  greasy,  a  defect  rendered  more  glaring  by 
the  lukewarm  temperature  of  the  mass  by  the  time  the  guest  gets 
it.  See  to  it,  then,  that  John  gets  his  Lyonnaise  dry,  hot, 
and  savory. 

CASSEROLE  OF  POTATO. 

Mash  eight  or  ten  potatoes  smooth  with  butter;  salt,  and 
work  in  the  beaten  whites  of  two  eggs.  Then  fill  a  greased  jelly- 
mould  with  the  mixture,  pressing  it  in  firmly.  Set  aside  to  harden. 
When  cold,  scrape  about  a  teacupful,  or  less,  from  the  middle, 
leaving  firm,  thick  walls.  Fill  the  cavity  with  minced  mutton, 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  22  5 

highly  seasoned,  mixed  with  crumbs  moistened  with  gravy, 
and  not  too  soft.  Fit  a  piece  of  fried  bread  in  the  mouth  of  the 
filled  cavity;  turn  out  the  casserole  carefully  upon  a  stone-china 
or  block-tin  dish  ;  wash  all  over  with  beaten  egg  and  set  in  a 
hot  oven  ten  minutes  to  heat  and  glaze.  The  mince  should  be 
very  hot  when  it  goes  in  and  stiff  enough  to  keep  its  shape. 

POTATOES  A  LA  CREME. 

Heat  a  cupful  of  milk  ;  stir  in  a  heaping  tablespoonful  of  but- 
ter cut  up  in  as  much  flour.  Stir  until  smooth  and  thick  ;  pep- 
per and  salt,  and  add  two  cupfuls  of  cold  boiled  potatoes,  minced, 
and  a  little  very  finely  chopped  parsley.  Shake  over  the  fire 
until  the  potatoes  are  hot  all  through,  and  pour  into  a  deep  dish. 

POTATO  CROQUETTES.    (No.  J.) 

Beat  into  hot  mashed  potato  a  raw  egg,  a  little  butter,  milk, 
nutmeg,  pepper  and  salt  to  taste,  also  a  very  little  grated  lemon- 
peel.  Heat  and  stir  three  minutes  in  a  saucepan,  or  until  scald- 
ing hot.  When  perfectly  cold  make  into  croquettes,  roll  in  flour, 
and  fry  in  boiling  cottolene  or  nice  dripping.  Drain  off  every 
drop  of  fat  and  serve  in  a  hot  dish  lined  with  a  napkin. 

POTATO  CROQUETTES.    (No.  2.) 

Boil  and  mash  in  the  usual  way,  and  for  each  cupful  of  potato 
add  and  mix  in  thoroughly  one  dozen  English  walnuts,  chopped 
fine.  Season  with  salt  and  pepper,  bind  with  the  yolk  of  a  raw 
egg,  and  set  in  a  cold  place  until  stiff.  Make  into  croquettes, 
dip  in  egg  and  then  in  cracker-crumbs,  let  them  stand  on  ice  for 
half  an  hour  and  fry  in  deep  fat. 

FRIED  POTATOES. 

Pare,  slice  very  thin,  or  cut  lengthwise  into  strips.  Lay  in 
cold  water  for  half  an  hour;  dry  between  two  soft  cloths 
and  fry  in  deep,  hot  cottolene,  a  few  at  a  time,  not  to  cool  the  fat. 


226  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

When  lightly  colored  take  up  with  a  split  spoon  and  lay  upon 
hot  paper  in  an  open  oven  until  all  are  ready.  They  should  be 
so  dry  and  crisp  as  not  to  soil  the  napkin  lining  the  dish  in 
which  they  are  served. 

You  can  cut  the  raw  potatoes  into  balls  with  the  little  potato- 
gouge  made  for  this  purpose,  or  into  slender  "  straws,"  and  fry 
as  above. 

SARATOGA  POTATOES 

are  nothing  more  than  raw  potatoes  shaved,  rather  than   cut, 
into  translucent  slices,  and  then  laid  in  ice-cold  water  again  be- 
fore drying  quickly  and  frying  to  a  very  pale  brown.     As  fast  as 
they  are  fried  put  them  into  a  hot  colander  and  set  in  an  open" 
oven. 

POMMES  DE  TERRE  SOUFFLES. 

That  is  to  say,  "  puffed  potatoes."  The  foreign  phrase  lifts 
them  a  degree  in  the  gastronomic  scale. 

Pare  the  potatoes  and  cut,  lengthwise,  into  slices  less  than  a 
quarter  of  an  inch  thick.  Lay  in  ice-water  for  half  an  hour ; 
dry  well  with  a  soft  cloth  and  fry  in  tolerably  hot  fat  for  three 
minutes,  but  not  until  they  begin  to  color.  Take  them  out  and 
set  aside  in  the  colander  for  ten  minutes  in  a  cool  place.  Heat 
the  fat  again — now  very  hot,  and  fry,  a  few  at  a  time.  They 
should  "swell  wisibly  before  your  eyes,"  like  Mr.  Weller's  tea- 
drinker. 

Potatoes  for  this  purpose  should  be  perfectly  ripe  and  mealy. 
New  potatoes  and  really  old  are  alike  unavailable  for  the  souffle. 

POTATO  SOUFFLE. 

Which  is  a  very  different  thing  from  souffle  potatoes.  Beat  a 
cupful  of  mashed  potato  to  a  cream,  add  the  yolks  of  three  well- 
beaten  eggs  and  a  tablespoonful  of  melted  butter,  season  with 
pepper  and  salt  and  a  dash  of  onion-juice  ;  whip  in  by  degrees  a 
cupful  of  rich  milk,  lastly  the  frothed  whites  of  the  eggs.  Pour 
into  a  buttered  bake-dish  and  cook,  covered,  until  it  rises  well, 
then  brown.  Serve  at  once.  It  soon  falls  and  settles. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  22? 

POTATOES  BAKED  WHOLE. 

Select  those  of  fair  and  of  uniform  size.  Wash  and  lay  upon 
the  floor  of  your  oven.  Bake  until  soft  to  the  pinch  of  an  ener- 
getic finger  and  thumb. 

SWEDISH  BAKED  POTATOES. 

Bake  large  potatoes  whole,  cut  a  cap  from  the  top  of  each  and 
scoop  out  as  much  of  the  mealy  potato  as  you  can  without  break- 
ing the  skins.  Fill  with  a  hot  mince  of  boiled  fish  whipped 
light  with  cream  and  butter  and  highly  seasoned.  Put  on  the 
caps,  and  set  in  the  oven  to  re-heat  for  three  minutes,  or  until 
very  hot. 

BAKED  POTATOES  STUFFED. 

Bake,  and  empty  the  skins  as  directed  in  the  last  recipe. 
Whip  the  potato  you  have  taken  out  to  a  light  cream  with  hot 
milk  and  butter.  Season  with  salt  and  a  pinch  of  cayenne,  and 
stir  in,  finally,  for  six  potatoes,  a  large  spoonful  of  grated  cheese. 
Fill  the  skins  high  with  this  mixture  and  set  again  in  the  oven 
until  they  are  lightly  browned. 

BAKED  POTATO  DICE. 

Pare  and  cut  six  large  potatoes  into  dice,  or  into  strips  half  an 
inch  thick.  Leave  in  cold  water  for  half  an  hour.  Wipe  and 
turn  over  and  over  in  melted  butter  until  each  piece  is  coated. 
Pour  what  remains  of  the  butter  into  a  bake-dish,  lay  in  the  po- 
tatoes irregularly  that  the  heat  may  reach  all,  sprinkle  upon  them 
salt,  pepper,  a  few  drops  of  lemon-  and  the  same  of  onion-juice. 
Cover  the  dish  and  bake,  covered,  fpr  three-quarters  of  an  hour, 
or  until  the  dice  are  tender.  Serve  dry  on  a  hot  dish. 

POTATO  OMELET. 

Beat  mashed  potatoes  to  a  soft  cream  with  milk,  salt,  pepper, 
and  mix  in  a  little  melted  butter — a  small  tablespoonful  for  each 
cupful  of  potato.  Whip  in  the  beaten  yolks  of  two  eggs  and  at  the 


228  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

last  the  frosted  whites.  Have  a  little  hot  butter  in  a  frying-pan, 
pour  in  the  mixture  and  cook  slowly  until  it  is  well  set.  Ten 
minutes  should  suffice.  Double  and  turn  out  upon  a  hot  dish. 

POTATO  FRITTERS, 

Beat  into  a  cupful  of  creamy  mashed  potato  (hot)  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  hot  milk,  one  of  butter,  one  egg,  and  a  little  salt  and 
pepper.  Mix  well  and  let  it  get  perfectly  cold.  Cut  into 
squares,  roll  in  egg,  then  in  cracker-crumbs  or  in  flour  only,  and 
fry  in  deep  boiling  fat.  Serve  dry  and  hot. 

SWEET  POTATOES. 

They  are  best  when  fully  ripe  and  not  yet  watery  or  sticky. 
They  should,  in  this,  their  prime,  be  as  mealy  as  well-cooked 
Irish  potatoes,  and  are  at  once  more  palatable  and  more  nutri- 
tious than  their  lowlier-born  cousins. 

BAKED  SWEET  POTATOES. 

A  fine,  ripe  sweet  potato  never  tastes  better  than  when  baked 
properly.  Wash  and  wipe  and  lay  in  a  baking-pan.  Cover,  and 
cook  until  the  heart  of  the  largest  potato  yields  to  the  pressure 
of  your  thumb  and  finger.  Turn  several  times  while  they  are 
baking,  that  all  sides  may  receive  an  equal  degree  of  heat.  The 
fashion  of  baking  or  roasting  potatoes  until  the  skins  are  like 
leather  and  on  the  lower  side  burned  to  a  cinder  is  an  insult  to 
this  one  of  the  kindly  fruits  of  the  earth.  Baked  and  boiled 
mealy  sweet  potatoes  have  a  decided  resemblance  in  texture  and 
taste  to  boiled  chestnuts. 

BOILED  SWEET  POTATOES* 

Select  those  of  uniform  size,  wash  and  boil  in  salted  water 
until  a  fork  pierces  readily  to  the  centre  of  the  largest.  Drain 
and  set  in  a  hot  oven  five  minutes  to  dry,  then  peel  and  serve 
hot. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  229 

SWEET  POTATOES  SAUTE. 

Slice  cold  boiled  sweet  potatoes,  pepper,  salt,  and  flour.  Heat 
in  a  frying-pan  a  good  spoonful  of  butter  or  sweet  dripping. 
Lay  in  the  potato  slices,  turning  them  over  and  over  to  coat 
each  piece  with  the  fat,  and  sauti  until  lightly  colored. 

SWEET  POTATOES  AU  GRATIN. 

Slice  the  potatoes  crosswise  and  arrange  in  layers  in  a  bake- 
dish,  sprinkling  each  layer  with  salt,  pepper,  bits  of  butter,  and 
a  very  little  sugar.  When  the  dish  is  full  pour  in  three  or  four 
tablespoonfuls  of  hot  water  in  which  has  been  melted  a  teaspoon- 
ful  of  butter.  Strew  the  top  thickly  with  salted  and  peppered 
cracker-crumbs,  stick  bits  of  butter  here  and  there,  and  bake, 
covered,  until  thoroughly  heated.  Uncover,  and  brown  lightly. 

An  excellent  preparation  of  an  excellent  esculent. 

SWEET  POTATO  PUFF. 

Boil  and  mash  sweet  potatoes.  To  two  cupfuls  of  this  add 
three  eggs,  beaten  light,  a  cupful  of  milk,  two  tablespoonfuls  of 
butter,  and  a  little  salt.  Beat  all  together  vigorously,  turn  into  a 
pudding-dish,  and  bake. 

CREAMED  SWEET  POTATOES. 

Boil  dry,  mealy  potatoes,  peel  and  set  in  the  oven  to  dry,  but 
do  not  let  them  get  hard.  Rub  through  a  colander,  or  grate,  or 
rub  through  a  vegetable-press  into  a  mealy  mass.  Beat  with  a 
silver  or  wooden  spoon  to  a  cream  with  hot  milk  in  which  a 
lump  of  butter  has  been  melted.  Season  with  salt  and  pepper, 
pour  into  a  pudding-dish  and  bake,  covered,  in  a  quick  oven 
until  it  begins  to  brown.  Wash  over  with  egg  and  leave  in  the 
oven  one  minute  longer.  Serve  at  once. 

SWEET  POTATO  CROQUETTES. 

Beat  into  two  cupfuls  of  boiled  and  mashed  sweet  potatoes, 
while  hot,  a  tablespoonful  of  butter,  and  the  whipped  yolks  of 


23O  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

two  eggs,  with  a  tablespoonful  of  cream,  and  let  the  mixture  get 
cold  before  making  it  into  croquettes.  Roll  in  egg  and  cracker- 
crumbs  ;  set  in  a  cold  place  for  a  couple  of  hours,  and  fry  to  a 
golden  brown  in  deep  fat. 

SWEET  POTATO  AND  CHESTNUT  CROQUETTES. 

Make  as  above,  but  add  to  the  potatoes  a  cupful  of  Spanish 
chestnuts,  roasted  or  boiled,  and  pounded  to  powder.  Work  in 
well  with  the  butter,  eggs,  and  cream,  season  and  fry  in  deep  fat. 


RICE. 

"  Rice,"  says  an  eminent  authority  upon  dietetics,  "  is  more 
largely  grown  and  consumed  as  human  food  than  any  other 
cereal.  It  is  said  to  be  the  main  food  of  one-third  of  the  human 
race.  Alone,  however,  it  is  not  a  perfect  food,  being  deficient 
in  albuminoids  and  in  mineral  matters." 

Reading  on,  we  find  that  it  contains  but  fourteen -and-a-sixth 
parts  of  water  and  seventy-six  parts  of  starch,  with  seven-and-a- 
fifth  parts  of  the  useful  albuminoids,  as  against  one-and-one-half 
parts  of  the  same  in  potatoes. 

"  One  pound  of  rice,  when  digested  and  oxidized  in  the  body, 
might  liberate  force  equal  to  2,330  tons  raised  one  foot  high. 
The  greatest  amount  of  external  work  which  it  could  enable  a 
man  to  perform  is  466  tons  raised  one  foot  high." 

Thus  another  distinguished  writer  upon  the  same  subject. 

Turning  to  his  opinion  of  the  Tyrant  Potato,  we  read  with 
wicked  satisfaction — "  One  pound  of  potatoes,  when  digested  and 
oxidized  in  the  body,  might  liberate  force  equal  to  619  tons 
raised  one  foot  high.  The  greatest  amount  of  work  which 
it  would  enable  a  man  to  perform  is  124  tons  raised  one  foot 
high." 

Comment  would  seem  to  be  superfluous  were  we  less  familiar 
with  the  fatuous  prejudices  of  those  who,  depending  upon  brawn 
and  bone  for  their  daily  living,  should  study  most  needfully  the 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  2$l 

capabilities  of  their  daily  food  to  furnish  what  they  need.  Rice, 
as  a  vegetable,  is  held  in  light  esteem — in  fact  in  no  esteem  at 
all  by  this  class.  It  is  spoken  of  contemptuously  as  "  babies' 
victuals,"  and  "sick  folks'  mess,"  and  is  practically  unknown 
upon  the  family  bill-of-fare  except  in  the  shape  of  rice-pud- 
dings. These  are  reckoned  economical  and  "filling  at  the 
price." 

Hodge  and  his  congeners  are  the  less  to  blame  for  their  stu- 
pidity, because  rice,  as  a  rule,  suffers  more  in  the  clutches  of 
The  Average  American  Cook  than  any  other  vegetable.  The 
pasty  mess,  stiff  enough  to  stand  alone,  or  so  watery  as  to  look 
like  coarse  and  ill-made  starch,  which  figures  as  boiled  rice  upon 
nineteen  out  of  twenty  otherwise  well-furnished  tables,  deserves 
the  reputation  it  has  wrought.  That  a  majority  of  writers  upon 
cookery  pass  over  the  cereal  and  the  violence  done  to  it  lightly, 
is  a  greater  puzzle. 

The  reader  will,  in  consideration  of  the  importance  of  the 
subject,  pardon  one  more  extract  from  our  treatise  upon  "  Food 
and  Some  of  its  Constituents." 

"As  rice  is  deficient  in  natural  fat,  oil,  butter,  fat  bacon,  or 
similar  articles  of  food,  should  be  eaten  with  it." 

That  is,  the  "  trimmings  "  that  make  rice  toothsome,  also  raise 
it  toward  the  level  of  the  perfect  food.  Furthermore  it  may  be 
consumed  along  with  substances  rich  in  nitrogenous  or  flesh-form- 
ing matters — such  as  meat,  eggs,  and  any  kind  of  pulse,  as  pease 
or  beans. 

All  of  which  dicta  point  to  our  gentle  cereal  as  a  vegetable  ac- 
companiment of  meat  and  gravies  rather  than  to  the  final  course 
which  the  English  name  "sweets,"  the  American,  "desserts." 
The  word  "  gentle  "  is  used  with  a  purpose  in  this  connection. 
Rice,  properly  cooked,  is  digested  without  difficulty  by  the 
stomach  and  holds  healing  in  its  soft  starches  and  mild  albu- 
minoids, poulticing  pain,  and  coating  sore  surfaces. 

Clearly,  then,  it  is  the  duty  of  caterer  and  cook  to  make  it 
attractive  and  popular  for  the  general  good  of  mankind  and  the 
especial  benefit  of  the  household. 


232  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

BOILED  RICE. 

Wash  a  cupful  of  rice  in  three  waters,  leaving  it  in  the  last 
for  ten  minutes.  Have  on  the  fire  a  pot  containing  at  least  two 
quarts  of  boiling  water.  A  gallon  would  not  be  amiss.  One 
quart  would  be  ruin.  Put  in  a  full  teaspoonful  of  salt  for  each 
quart  of  water.  The  water  should  be  at  a  furious  boil  when  the 
rice  goes  in,  and  this  must  be  kept  up  all  the  while  it  is  cooking. 
Leave  the  pot  uncovered  and  do  not  touch  the  rice  with  a  spoon. 
At  the  end  of  twenty  minutes  take  out  a  few  grains  with  a  fork 
and  bite  into  them  to  try  if  they  are  tender.  They  should  be 
by  now.  If  the  test  is  satisfactory  drain  off  every  drop  of  the 
water  into  the  bowl  and  set  aside  to  be  used  in  broths,  etc. 
Turn  the  rice  into  a  heated  colander  and  set  at  the  back  of  the 
range  or  in  the  open  oven  for  a  few  minutes  to  dry,  as  you  would 
potatoes.  Every  grain  should  stand  up  for  its  own  individual 
right  to  be  plump,  white,  and  tender,  yet  consistent.  Send  to 
table  in  a  hot  open  vegetable-dish,  and  eat  with  meat  as  you 
would  any  other  vegetable,  or  butter  it  and  eat  it  alone. 

SAVORY  RICE  A  LA  MILANAISE. 

Wash  a  cupful  of  rice  well.  Take  a  cupful  of  broth  from  your 
soup-pot ;  strain  through  a  thin  cloth  and  add  twice  as  much 
boiling  water,  with  a  little  salt.  Put  in  the  rice  and  cook  slowly 
until  it  has  taken  up  all  the  water  and  is  soft.  Pour  in  a  large 
cupful  of  hot  milk  in  which  have  been  mixed  two  eggs  (raw),  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  grated  cheese,  and  a  tablespoonful  of  butter. 
Stir  up  well ;  add  about  half  a  cupful  of  minced  veal  and  ham  ; 
turn  into  a  greased  mould ;  cover  and  bake  one  hour  and  a  half 
in  a  dripping-pan  of  hot  water.  Dip  in  cold  water  and  invert 
upon  a  flat  dish. 

RICE  AND  CHEESE. 

Boil  a  cupful  of  rice  in  a  quart  of  water,  slightly  salted,  and 
when  half  done  add  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter.  By  the  time 
the  rice  is  soft  the  water  should  have  been  soaked  up  entirely, 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  233 

and  each  grain  stand  out  whole  in  the  mass.  Never  stir  boiling 
rice,  but  shake  up  the  saucepan  instead.  Stir  into  the  rice  at 
this  point  three  tablespoon fuls  of  grated  cheese,  salt  and  pepper 
to  taste.  Toss  up  with  a  fork  until  the  cheese  is  dissolved,  and 
pour  into  a  deep  dish. 

RICE  LOAVES, 

Two  cupfuls  of  boiled  rice  ;  two  eggs,  beaten  light ;  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  melted  butter.  Milk  at  discretion. 

Beat  the  rice  smooth  with  a  spoon,  add  the  butter  and  eggs 
and  enough  milk  to  make  a  rather  soft  paste.  Form  this  with 
the  hands  into  small  loaves,  lay  them  in  a  dripping-pan  and 
bake  them,  closely  covered,  for  fifteen  minutes.  When  half 
done  wash  with  beaten  yolk  of  egg,  strew  with  grated  cheese, 
and  brown. 

BAKED  RICE  CURRY. 
An  East  Indian  Dish. 

Wash  a  cupful  of  raw  rice  in  three  waters,  and  let  it  soak  fif- 
teen minutes  in  water  enough  to  cover  it.  Boil  an  onion  in  a 
quart  of  water  with  a  little  salt  until  the  onion  is  very  soft. 
Strain  the  water,  squeezing  the  onion  hard  in  a  bit  of  cloth. 
Throw  it  away,  put  the  water  over  the  fire  with  a  heaping  tea- 
spoonful  of  curry-powder,  and  when  it  boils  again  pour  upon  the 
rice  and  the  water  in  which  it  was  soaked.  Turn  all  into  a  jar 
with  a  close  top,  or  a  casserole  dish  with  a  cover,  and  set  in  a 
moderate  oven  until  the  rice  has  soaked  up  the  liquid  and  is 
swollen  and  soft,  but  not  broken.  Serve  in  a  deep,  open  dish, 
and  pour  over  it  a  few  spoonfuls  of  melted  butter,  loosening  the 
rice  gently  with  a  fork  to  allow  the  butter  to  penetrate  to  the 
bottom. 

Serve  with  roast  chicken,  veal,  or  fish. 

RICE  WITH  TOMATO  SAUCE. 

Boil  as  already  directed,  and,  when  dry,  dish,  and  pour  over 
it  a  cupful  of  strained  tomato  sauce,  seasoned  with  onion-juice, 


234  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

pepper,  salt,  butter,  and  a  little  sugar.     Stir  and  lift  the  grains 
lightly  with  a  fork  to  let  the  tomato  reach  the  whole  mass. 

RICE  AND  TOMATO. 

An  Italian  Recipe. 

Cook  as  in  the  last  recipe,  but  add  to  the  strained  and  seasoned 
tomato  sauce  a  cupful  of  good  stock  or  gravy,  and  when  they 
have  boiled  together  five  minutes  stir  in  two  great  spoonfuls  of 
Parmesan  cheese.  (Season  the  tomato  with  cayenne,  not  with 
black  pepper.)  Dish  the  rice — every  grain  standing  apart  from 
its  fellows — and  cover  with  the  sauce.  Loosen  with  a  fork  to 
let  this  sink  into  the  rice,  set  in  an  oven  for  three  minutes  and 
serve.  It  is  a  savory  and  pleasant  accompaniment  to  cold  meat. 

RICE  SAUTE, 

Boil  as  in  former  recipes,  turn  out  upon  a  hot  platter  and  put 
into  the  oven  to  dry  for  five  minutes,  loosening  the  grains  with  a 
fork  that  each  may  retain  form  and  consistency.  When  dry,  set 
away  until  perfectly  cold.  Heat  a  little  butter  in  a  frying-pan 
and  fry  half  a  dozen  slices  of  onion  until  they  begin  to  color. 
Take  them  out  and  put  the  rice  into  the  butter,  a  tablespoonful 
at  a  time,  to  keep  the  grains  apart.  Toss  lightly  with  a  fork 
that  the  grains  may  remain  distinct,  and  as  they  color  slightly 
take  them  up  with  a  perforated  spoon  and  lay  them  in  a  fine  col- 
ander (heated).  Keep  the  colander  in  an  open  oven  until  all 
the  rice  is  done.  Shake  up  gently  to  make  sure  that  it  is  free 
from  grease  and  torn  into  a  deep,  uncovered  dish. 

This  is  a  delightful  accompaniment  to  fried  fish  or  broiled 
birds,  and  very  wholesome. 

BROILED  RICE. 

Boil  as  usual,  and  while  hot  stir  in  a  tablespoonful  of  white 
sauce  for  each  cupful  of  rice,  and  a  beaten  egg  for  two  cupfuls. 
Season  with  pepper,  salt,  and  a  few  drops  of  onion-juice ;  fill  a 
broad,  shallow  dish  with  it,  and  press  the  bottom  of  another,  or 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  235 

a  large  plate,  firmly  upon  it  until  it  fits  down  firmly  upon  every 
part.  Set  a  fiat-iron  or  other  heavy  weight  upon  the  upper  dish 
and  set  away  to  get  cold.  When  stiff  and  chilled  throughout, 
cut  into  strips  or  squares  or  triangles,  and  broil  upon  a  buttered 
gridiron  until  lightly  browned. 

Serve  hot  and  dry  with  game  or  broiled  chicken. 

FRIED  RICE. 

Prepare  as  above,  and  when  stiff  cut  into  rounds  or  squares, 
roll  in  egg  and  cracker-crumbs,  let  them  stand  for  an  hour,  and 
fry  in  hot,  deep  cottolene. 

This  is  a  very  nice  preparation  of  rice. 

BUTTERED  RICE. 
A  Chinese  Recipe. 

Boil  a  cupful  of  rice  and  dry.  Heap  in  a  deep  dish  and  pour 
over  it  this  sauce :  Fry  a  sliced  onion  in  two  tablespoonfuls  of 
butter  to  a  light  brown  ;  strain  it  out  and  add  to  the  hot  butter 
a  small  green  pepper,  seeded  and  minced  fine,  and  when  this 
has  cooked  tender,  a  teaspoonful  of  lemon-juice.  Pour  over  the 
rice  and  serve. 

RICE  AND  CHEESE. 

A  Swiss  Recipe. 

Boil  a  cupful  of  raw  rice  in  a  quart  and  a  pint  of  hot  water, 
lightly  salted.  At  the  end  of  fifteen  minutes  drain  off  half  the 
water  and  add  a  good  tablespoonful  of  butter  with  a  pinch  of 
cayenne.  When  the  rice  is  done  all  the  water  should  be  ab- 
sorbed and  each  grain  stand  out  swollen  and  whole.  Let  it  dry 
out  for  five  minutes.  Shake  up  the  saucepan  lightly,  not  to 
break  the  rice,  and  stir  into  it,  with  a  fork,  three  tablespoonfuls 
of  Parmesan  cheese.  Turn  into  a  deep  dish  and  serve. 

RICE  CROQUETTES.    (No.  J.) 

Into  a  cupful  of  cold  boiled  rice  beat  the  well-whipped  yolk  of 
an  egg,  a  teaspoonful  of  melted  butter,  a  teaspoonful  of  sugar, 


236  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

half  as  much  salt,  and  enough  milk  to  make  a  paste  that  you 
can  handle.  Make  this  into  croquettes,  or  into  balls,  with 
floured  hands.  Dip  each  into  beaten  egg,  then  into  cracker- 
dust,  and  set  aside  in  a  cold  place  for  a  couple  of  hours  or  more. 
Then  fry  in  deep,  hot  cottolene  to  a  golden  brown.  Take  up 
with  a  split  spoon,  lay  in  a  heated  colander,  and  set  in  the  open 
oven  until  you  are  ready  to  dish  them. 

RICE  CROQUETTES.    (No.  2.) 

Boil  a  cupful  of  rice  in  plenty  of  hot,  salted  water  for  twenty 
minutes.  Drain  and  dry,  and  while  hot  work  in  half  a  cupful  of 
milk  and  the  beaten  yolks  of  two  eggs,  with  pepper  and  salt  to 
taste,  a  teaspoonful  of  butter  and  a  dash  of  nutmeg,  or  a  pinch 
of  grated  lemon-peel.  Set  aside  the  mixture  until  stiff  and  cold  ; 
form  into  croquettes,  egg  and  crumb  them,  leave  them  for  two 
hours  in  a  cold  place,  and  fry  in  hot,  deep  cottolene. 

RICE  AND  MUSHROOM  CROQUETTES. 

Drain  the  liquor  from  half  a  can  of  mushrooms ;  chop  them 
and  cook  for  fifteen  minutes  in  a  pint  of  weak  stock  or  in  water 
in  which  half  an  onion,  a  carrot,  cut  into  dice,  and  a  stalk  of  cel- 
ery have  been  boiled  for  one  hour,  then  strained  out.  Drain  the 
liquor  from  the  mushrooms  and  set  them  aside  to  get  cold. 
Cook  three  tablespoonfuls  of  washed,  raw  rice  in  the  liquor  left 
in  the  saucepan,  until  soft,  but  not  broken.  It  should  absorb  it 
all  when  done.  Now  add  the  chopped  mushrooms,  a  teaspoon- 
ful of  butter,  the  yolk  of  a  beaten  raw  egg,  pepper  and  salt  to 
taste,  and  set  aside  the  paste  to  get  cold  and  stiff. 

Make  it  into  croquettes  with  well-floured  hands,  egg  and 
crumb,  set  them  in  a  cold  place  for  an  hour  or  so,  and  fry  in 
deep,  hot  cottolene. 

RICE  AND  GIBLET  CROQUETTES. 

A  German  Recipe. 

Boil  a  cupful  of  raw  rice  in  plenty  of  hot,  salted  water.  Drain 
and  dry,  and  while  hot  work  into  it  a  teaspoonful  of  butter,  a 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  237 

tablespoonful  of  grated  cheese,  the  yolk  of  a  beaten  egg,  pepper 
and  salt  to  taste,  and  set  aside  to  get  cold. 

Chop  and  rub  the  boiled  giblets  of  chickens,  ducks,  or  geese 
smooth,  and  work  to  a  paste  with  a  very  little  gravy,  seasoning  to 
taste.  Flour  a  rolling-pin,  roll  out  the  rice-paste  half  an  inch 
thick,  and  cut  into  round  cakes.  In  the  centre  of  each  lay  a 
spoonful  of  the  giblets,  enclose  it  and  roll  the  rice  about  it  in  an 
egg-shaped  ball.  Egg  and  crumb  them,  leave  on  the  ice  for  two 
hours  or  more,  and  fry  in  deep,  hot  olive  oil. 


RICE  AND  SWEETBREAD  CROQUETTES. 

Prepare  as  directed  in  the  foregoing  recipe,  but  substitute 
sweetbreads,  boiled,  blanched,  and  chopped,  for  the  livers. 

SAVORY  MOULD  OF  RICE. 
A  Neapolitan  Recipe. 

Boil  one  cupful  of  raw  rice  in  two  quarts  of  salted  water  for 
twenty  minutes.  Drain  and  dry,  and  mix  with  it  a  cupful  of 
milk  in  which  has  been  dissolved  a  teaspoonful  of  corn-starch. 
Beat  into  this  a  raw  egg  and  a  tablespoonful  of  melted  butter, 
and  set  aside  to  get  cold.  Mince  a  cupful  of  chicken,  lamb,  or 
veal,  mix  with  it  two  tablespoon fuls  of  chopped  pine-nuts.  You 
may  buy  them  from  Italian  grocers,  and  if  you  cannot  get  them, 
substitute  blanched  and  chopped  almonds.  Season  well,  and 
work  in  a  tablespoonful  of  gravy.  When  the  rice  is  cold  put 
all  the  ingredients  together,  mixing  well,  and  pour  into  a  but- 
tered mould,  the  sides  of  which  you  have  coated  with  fine,  dry 
crumbs,  after  buttering.  Fit  on  a  close  top,  and  cook  in  the  oven, 
set  in  a  pan  of  boiling  water,  for  two  hours.  Dip  the  mould  for 
an  instant  in  cold  water,  and  turn  out  the  pudding  upon  a  hot 
dish.  Serve  with  tomato  sauce,  into  which  have  been  stirred 
two  large  spoonfuls  of  Parmesan  cheese. 

An  excellent  and  inexpensive  entree. 


238  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

PILAU     (No.  J.) 
A  Turkish  Recipe. 

Boil  a  cupful  of  raw  rice  in  a  pint  of  mutton-stock  which  has 
been  skimmed  and  seasoned  with  onion,  tomato,  salt,  and 
cayenne.  When  the  rice  is  soft  and  has  soaked  up  all  the 
liquor  add  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  and  a  heaping  teaspoonful 
of  curry-powder  with  one  of  capers. 

Mince  cold  mutton  or  lamb  until  you  have  a  cupful ;  heat  a 
cupful  of  gravy  over  the  fire,  season  well  and  sharply,  and 
thicken  with  browned  flour,  then  stir  in  the  minced  meat,  and 
boil  up  once.  Pour  upon  a  heated  platter  and  arrange  the 
rice  like  a  fence  around  it. 

Pilau  is  even  better  when  made  with  chicken-stock  and  meat 
instead  of  mutton. 

PILAU.    (No.  2.) 

Heat  together  a  cupful  of  strained  tomato-juice  and  one  of 
well-seasoned  mutton-,  or  chicken-,  or  veal-stock.  Put  in  four 
tablespoonfuls  of  washed  rice,  and  cook  until  it  is  soft  and  has 
taken  up  the  liquid.  Add  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter,  salt  and 
paprica  to  taste,  cook  for  two  minutes  and  turn  out. 

Eat  with  boiled  mutton  or  chicken,  and  pass  with  it  a  dish  of 
grated  cheese,  or  with  a  saltspoonful  of  curry,  blended  with  a 
cupful  of  cheese,  for  those  who  like  this  addition. 

RICE  AND  GIBLET  PUDDING. 

Boil  the  giblets  tender,  and  mince  fine.  Add  to  the  water  in 
which  they  were  cooked  a  small  grated  onion  and  a  tablespoon- 
ful of  finely  chopped  salt  pork.  There  should  be  a  pint  of  the 
liquor.  Boil  three  tablespoonfuls  of  rice  in  it  for  twenty  minutes. 
It  should  absorb  all  the  liquid.  Have  ready  five  tablespoonfuls 
of  milk,  heated  in  a  separate  vessel,  pour  it  upon  a  beaten  egg, 
stir  in  a  tablespoonful  of  butter,  season  to  taste  with  salt  and 
paprica,  add  to  the  rice,  and  put  in  the  chopped  giblets.  Sim- 
mer for  five  minutes  after  the  boil  is  reached,  and  turn  into  a 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  239 

mould  which  you  have  greased  well  and  then  coated  with  fine 
crumbs.  Press  firmly  into  this,  and  set  in  the  oven  for  one 
minute  before  turning  out  upon  a  hot  platter.  It  should  be 
just  stiff  enough  to  take  the  shape  of  the  mould.  Pass  tomato 
sauce  and  grated  cheese  with  it. 

CASSEROLE  OF  RICE. 

Boil  a  cupful  of  rice  in  a  pint  of  hot  chicken-stock  for  twenty 
minutes,  or  until  tender  and  dry.  Season  with  salt,  pepper,  and 
onion-juice  when  half  done.  When  dry,  mound  it  upon  a  hot 
dish,  wash  with  beaten  egg  and  strew  with  grated  cheese,  and 
brown  upon  the  upper  grating  of  your  oven.  Send  around  mush- 
room sauce  with  it. 

RICE  AND  SAUSAGE. 

Boil  the  rice  twenty  minutes,  or  until  tender ;  drain  and  dry 
and  mix  with  an  equal  quantity  of  sausage-meat  which  has  been 
boiled  in  water  enough  to  cover  it.  Season  this  liquor  with  a 
quarter-spoonful  of  chopped  garlic — not  onion — add  a  pinch  of 
allspice  and  a  tablespoonful  of  walnut-  or  mushroom-catsup,  and 
wet  up  the  sausage  and  rice  mixture  with  it.  Press  firmly  into 
a  bowl  and  turn  out  upon  a  hot  dish.  Garnish  with  fried  calf's 
brains,  or  eat  with  roast  veal. 

This  is  a  Russian  dish  and  better  than  it  sounds,  especially  in 
winter. 

MACARONI. 
MACARONI  AU  GRATIN. 

Break  half  a  pound  of  macaroni  into  inch  lengths.  Make  a 
weak  broth  by  diluting  the  remains  of  yesterday's  soup  with  hot 
water,  and  straining  it.  When  it  boils,  season  well  and  put  in 
the  macaroni.  Cook  until  tender,  but  not  broken.  Drain  off 
all  but  half  a  cupful  of  the  liquor;  put  the  hot  macaroni  upon  a 
stone-china  dish;  stir  a  good  piece  of  butter  through  it;  sift 
over  it  a  mixture  of  grated  cheese  and  fine  bread-crumbs.  Set 
upon  the  upper  grating  of  the  oven  to  brown, 


240  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

MACARONI  DI   LUCCA. 

Break  half  a  pound  of  pipe  macaroni  into  two-inch  lengths. 
Cook  fast  in  boiling,  salted  water  for  twenty  minutes,  or  until 
clear,  but  not  broken.  Then  drain  and  rinse  quickly  in  cold 
water  to  prevent  the  pieces  from  adhering  to  one  another. 
Butter  a  bake-dish,  and  cover  the  bottom  with  macaroni,  salt, 
drop  bits  of  butter  here  and  there  with  a  slight  sprinkling 
of  cayenne,  and  cover  with  Parmesan  cheese.  Fill  the  dish  in 
this  order,  having  a  cheese-layer  on  top. 

Have  ready  in  a  saucepan  a  cupful  of  hot  milk,  and  melt  in 
it  a  teaspoonful  of  butter,  a  saltspoonful  of  English  mustard,  and 
a  little  pepper  and  salt.  Cover  the  macaroni  with  it,  put  a  lid 
over  the  dish,  and  bake,  covered,  half  an  hour;  then  brown. 
Serve  in  the  dish. 

This  is  a  genuine  Italian  recipe. 

MACARONI  IN  SPANISH  STYLE. 

Boil  half  a  pound  of  macaroni  in  salted  water  until  clear ; 
drain  and  rinse  in  cold  water  in  which  has  been  mixed  a  table- 
spoonful  of  vinegar.  Lay  the  sticks  of  boiled  macaroni  upon  a 
board  in  parallel  rows,  and  with  a  sharp  knife  cut  all  into  pieces 
of  equal  length,  about  five  inches  long. 

In  another  saucepan  have  ready,  heated,  a  cupful  of  mutton  or 
lamb  or  chicken  gravy,  a  teaspoonful  of  grated  onion,  a  cupful  of 
strained  tomato,  a  green  pepper,  chopped  fine,  a  teaspoonful  of 
sugar,  salt  and  cayenne  to  taste,  and  a  dust  of  nutmeg.  Put 
in  the  macaroni,  simmer  slowly  for  half  an  hour  and  pour  into 
a  hot  dish  which  has  been  rubbed  with  a  freshly  cut  clove  of 
garlic. 

SPAGHETTI  (PLAIN). 

Break  half  a  pound  of  spaghetti  into  pieces  of  equal  length 
and  boil  twenty  minutes  fast  in  plenty  of  salted  water.  Drain 
off  the  water,  rinse  the  spaghetti  in  cold  water,  and  return  to 
the  fire  with  enough  cold  milk  to  cover  it.  Stir  in  a  table- 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  241 

spoonful  of  b  itter  for  each  cupful  of  spaghetti,  season  with 
pepper  and  salt,  and  cook  gently  for  ten  minutes  more.  Stir 
in,  then,  three  tablespoonfuls  of  grated  cheese  and  turn  into  a 
deep  dish. 

MACARONI  AND  HAM. 

Boil  half  a  pound  of  macaroni  tender  in  hot,  salted  water. 
Drain  and  rinse  in  cold  water  and  cut  into  inch  lengths.  Make 
a  roux  of  a  tablespoonful  of  flour,  stirred  smooth,  in  one  of  hot 
butter  over  the  fire  ;  thin  with  a  cupful  of  scalding  milk,  heated, 
with  a  bit  of  soda  to  prevent  curdling.  Put  into  this  the  maca- 
roni, and  a  cupful  of  cold,  boiled  ham,  minced  fine  and  seasoned 
with  a  saltspoonful  of  dry  mustard  and  a  dash  of  cayenne.  Lastly, 
stir  in  a  well-beaten  egg.  Pour  the  mixture  into  a  buttered  bake- 
dish,  sift  cracker-crumbs  and  grated  cheese  over  all,  and  cook, 
covered,  in  a  steady  oven,  half  an  hour.  Uncover  and  brown. 

BAKED  MACARONI  AND  TOMATO. 

An  Italian  Recipe. 

Boil  half  a  pound  of  macaroni  twenty  minutes,  or  until  tender ; 
drain  and  rinse  quickly  in  cold  water  ;  lay  it  out  upon  a  board 
and  with  a  sharp  knife  cut  into  inch  lengths.  Butter  a  bake- 
dish  and  cover  the  bottom  with  macaroni ;  season  with  bits  of 
butter,  paprica,  salt,  a  few  drops  of  onion-juice,  and  scatter  over 
it  a  large  spoonful  of  Parmesan  cheese.  Upon  this  lay  a  stratum 
of  stewed,  seasoned,  and  strained  tomatoes,  then  more  macaroni, 
and  so  on,  until  the  dish  is  full.  Cover  with  the  tomato  sauce, 
and  sift  fine  crumbs  over  all  with  bits  of  butter  on  top.  You 
will  need  a  cupful  of  the  sauce  for  this  dishful.  Bake,  covered, 
half  an  hour,  then  brown. 

SAUCE  FOR  THE  ABOVE. 

Stew  a  cupful  of  chopped  tomatoes  with  a  teaspoonful  of  grated 

onion  and  half  a  teaspoonful  of  mixed  cloves  and  mace  (ground). 

Make  a  brown  roux  of  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  and  the  same  of 

flour;  when  it  is  smooth  add  the  stewed  tomatoes,  cook  one 

16 


242  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

minute,  and  rub  them  through  a  colander.  Turn  the  macaroni 
upside  down  upon  a  deep  dish,  pour  the  sauce  over  it,  leave  it  in 
the  oven  for  a  moment  and  serve.  Send  around  grated  cheese 
with  it. 

STEWED  MACARONI  A  LA  TURQUE. 

Break  half  a  pound  of  macaroni  into  two-inch  lengths;  boil  in 
hot,  salted  water  twenty  minutes,  or  until  clear;  drain,  rinse  in 
cold  water,  and  spread  upon  a  dish  to  cool,  separating  the  tubes 
that  they  may  not  stick  together.  Have  ready  a  cupful  of  stewed 
and  strained  tomatoes,  seasoned  with  butter,  sugar,  paprica,  and 
salt.  When  cooked  and  strained  add  three  tablespoonfuls  of 
pine-nuts,  or,  if  you  cannot  get  them,  of  almonds,  blanched  and 
chopped.  Cook  five  minutes  after  it  reaches  the  boil,  stir  in 
three  tablespoonfuls  of  consomme  or  of  strong  stock  and  the 
macaroni.  Bring  slowly  to  a  gentle  boil,  and  as  soon  as  it  begins, 
take  up  and  dish. 

Pass  grated  cheese  with  it.  You  can  serve  it  as  a  vegetable 
with  roast  beef,  or  make  a  separate  course  of  it,  as  in  the  for- 
eign restaurants. 

Spaghetti  is  nice  when  prepared  in  the  same  way. 

SPAGHETTI  AND  SWEETBREAD  TIMBALES. 

Boil,  drain,  and  rinse  spaghetti  without  cutting  it  into  short 
pieces,  and  spread  it  out  at  length  upon  a  dish  or  clean  board 
to  cool.  Butter  or  oil  some  timbale-moulds  or  nappies,  and 
when  the  spaghetti  is  cold,  line  these  with  it,  beginning  in  the 
centre  of  the  bottom  and  winding  the  spaghetti  neatly  and 
closely  around  and  around  until  the  top  is  reached.  Do  this 
deftly  and  patiently,  joining  closely  when  a  single  piece  is  not 
enough  to  line  the  whole  cup.  A  little  practice  will  enable  you 
to  do  it  well.  When  the  mould  is  lined,  dust  with  paprica  or 
with  cayenne,  and  with  salt.  Have  at  hand  sweetbreads  that 
have  been  boiled,  blanched,  chopped,  and  seasoned  with  salt, 
pepper,  and  a  few  drops  of  onion-juice,  then  moistened  with  a 
rich  white  sauce.  Fill  the  lined  cups  or  moulds  with  this,  cover 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  243 

with  a  close  coil  of  spaghetti,  and  cook  twenty-five  minutes  in  a 
pan  of  boiling  water  set  in  a  hot  oven.  Keep  the  timbales 
covered  for  twenty  minutes.  Or,  you  may  steam  them  for  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour. 

Dip  each  mould  for  an  instant  in  ice-cold  water,  and  turn  out 
the  timbales  upon  individual  plates,  made  very  hot.  Serve  with 
a  rich  gravy,  or  with  mushroom  or  tomato  sauce. 

SPAGHETTI  AND  MUSHROOM  TIMBALES 

are  made  exactly  as  in  the  last  recipe,  substituting  mushrooms 
for  the  sweetbreads. 

In  fact  chicken,  oysters,  turkey,  salmon — almost  any  well- 
prepared  filling — may  be  used  instead  of  either  of  these  materials. 

This  is  a  pretty  company  entree. 


GREEN  CORN. 

BOILED  CORN. 

• 

Husk,  clearing  the  ear  of  every  strand  of  silk,  and  trim  off 
stem  and  top  neatly.  Boil  in  hot  water  until  the  milk  does  not 
escape  when  a  grain  is  penetrated  by  the  nail.  Fifteen  or  twenty 
minutes,  according  to  the  age  of  the  corn,  will  be  enough. 
Drain,  sprinkle  the  corn  with  salt,  and  serve  upon  a  hot  napkin 
laid  upon  a  platter.  Fold  the  corners  of  the  napkin  over  the 
corn. 

STEWED  CORN. 

Husk  and  clean  the  corn,  and  leave  it  in  cold  water  for  fifteen 
minutes.  With  a  sharp  knife  split  each  row  of  grains  all  the 
way  down  from  stem  to  tip  of  the  ear;  then  shave,  rather 
than  cut,  them  off  down  to  the  cob.  Cover  with  hot  water  in 
a  saucepan,  and  stew  slowly  for  twenty  minutes.  Stir  in  a  table- 
spoonful  of  butter  for  a  pint  of  corn ;  pepper  and  salt  and 
serve. 


244 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 


STEWED  CORN  AND  TOMATOES. 


Cook  as  in  last  recipe,  and  when  the  corn  has  simmered  five 
minutes  add  a  cupful  of  chopped  tomatoes  (peeled).  Cook 
twenty  minutes  longer  after  the  boil  recommences,  season  and 
serve.  If  there  is  much  liquid  in  the  stew,  roll  the  butter  in  flour 
before  adding  it,  and  boil  a  minute  more  than  if  the  flour  were 
not  used. 

CORN  FRITTERS. 

Two  cupfuls  of  grated  green  corn ;  two  eggs ;  one  cupful  of 
milk;  a  pinch  of  soda;  salt  and  pepper  to  taste ;  one  tablespoon- 
ful  of  melted  butter ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  flour.  Mix  and  fry 
as  you  would  griddle-cakes,  and  send  in  hot,  in  acceptable  relays. 


SUCCOTASH. 

Six  ears  of  corn ;  one  pint  of  string-beans,  trimmed  and  cut 
into  short  pieces ;  one  tablespoonful  of  butter  rolled  in  flour ;  one 
cupful  of  milk  ;  pepper  and  salt.  Cut  the  corn  from  the  cob, 
bruising  as  little  as  possible.  Put  over  the  fire  with  the  beans  in 
enough  hot  water,  salted,  to  cover  them,  and  stew  gently  half  an 
hour.  Turn  off  nearly  all  the  water  and  add  a  cupful  of  milk. 
Simmer  in  this,  stirring  to  prevent  burning,  twenty  minutes; 
add  the  floured  butter,  the  pepper  and  salt,  and  stew  ten 
minutes.  Serve  in  a  deep  dish. 

CANNED  CORN 

may  be  used  satisfactorily  in  most  dishes  that  call  for  green 
corn.  If,  before  cooking  it,  the  contents  of  the  can  be  turned 
into  a  fine  colander,  and  cold  water  poured  over  it  to  wash  off 
the  liquor  in  which  it  was  preserved,  the  taste  will  be  cleaner  and 
sweeter.  Like  all  other  "  canned  goods  "  corn  should  be  opened 
and  poured  out  upon  an  open  dish  for  some  hours  before  it  is 
used  to  get  rid  of  the  close,  smoky  flavor  and  smell. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  245 

TOMATOES. 

STEWED  TOMATOES. 

Pour  boiling  water  upon  tomatoes  to  loosen  their  skins,  and 
peel  them.  Slice,  or  cut  into  dice,  and  cook  in  a  porcelain  or 
agate-iron  saucepan  for  twenty  minutes.  Drain  off  the  superflu- 
ous liquid,  pepper  and  salt  it  and  keep  for  sauces,  stews,  and 
soups.  Stir  into  the  hot  tomatoes,  for  each  quart,  a  tablespoon- 
ful  of  butter  rolled  in  corn-starch  or  in  fine  cracker-dust,  a  tea- 
spoonful  each  of  salt  and  of  pepper,  and  a  half  teaspoonful  of 
grated  onion.  Cook  three  minutes  longer  and  serve. 

TOMATOES  AU  GRATESL 

One  quart  fine,  smooth  tomatoes ;  one  cupful  bread-crumbs ; 
one  small  onion,  minced  fine  ;  one  teaspoonful  white  sugar ;  two 
tablespoonfuls  butter — melted ;  cayenne  and  salt.  Cut  a  piece 
from  the  top  of  each  tomato.  Scoop  out  the  inside,  leaving  a 
hollow  shell.  Chop  the  pulp  fine,  mix  with  the  crumbs,  butter, 
sugar,  pepper,  salt,  and  onion.  Fill  the  cavities  of  the  tomatoes 
with  this  stuffing,  heaping  and  rounding  each ;  scatter  fine 
crumbs  on  the  top,  and  arrange  in  a  bake-dish.  Set  the  dish, 
covered,  in  an  oven,  and  bake  half  an  hour  before  uncovering, 
after  which  brown  lightly,  and  send  to  table  on  a  hot  platter. 

BROILED  TOMATOES  WITH  SAUCE. 

Six  fine,  firm  tomatoes,  pared  and  sliced  nearly  half  an 
inch  thick ;  yolks  of  three  hard-boiled  eggs,  pounded ;  three 
tablespoonfuls  of  melted  butter  and  same  of  vinegar ;  two  raw 
eggs,  beaten  light ;  one  teaspoonful  of  sugar  and  half  as  much, 
each,  of  made  mustard  and  salt ;  a  pinch  of  cayenne.  Rub  but- 
ter, pounded  yolks,  pepper,  salt,  mustard,  and  sugar  together. 
Beat  "hard,  add  vinegar,  and  heat  to  a  boil.  Put  this  gradually 
upon  the  beaten  eggs  and  whip  to  a  smooth  cream.  Set  in  hot 
water  while  you  broil  the  tomatoes  in  an  oyster -broiler  over  clear 


246  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

coals.     Lay  this  upon  a  hot-water  dish  and  pour  the  scalding 
dressing  upon  them. 

You  may  substitute  a  simpler  sauce  for  this  dressing,  such  as 
maitre  # hotel  sauce,  or  one  made  by  beating  two  teaspoonfuls  of 
lemon-juice  in  three  tablespoonfuls  of  butter,  and  seasoning  this 
with  a  little  mustard  or  cayenne. 

SCALLOPED  TOMATOES.    (No.  J.) 

Butter  a  bake-dish  and  cover  the  bottom  with  fine,  dry  crumbs. 
Next  put  a  layer  of  sliced  and  peeled  tomatoes ;  season  with  pep- 
per, salt,  sugar,  butter,  and  a  few  drops  of  onion-juice.  More 
crumbs  and  more  tomatoes  until  the  dish  is  full.  The  top  layer 
should  be  crumbs,  peppered,  salted,  and  buttered.  Bake  half  an 
hour,  covered.  Uncover  and  brown. 

If  canned  tomatoes  are  used,  drain  off  half  the  juice  before  you 
begin  the  scallop,  or  it  will  be  too  watery.  Season  the  liquor 
and  save  for  sauces  and  soups. 

SCALLOPED  TOMATOES.    (No.  2.) 

Peel  and  slice  tomatoes.  Chop  fine  two  slices  of  fat  salt  pork 
and  a  small  onion.  Place  a  layer  of  tomatoes  in  a  pudding-dish, 
pepper  and  salt  lightly,  sprinkle  with  a  very  little  sugar  and  with 
the  pork  and  onion.  Cover  with  crumbs  and  continue  using  the 
ingredients  in  this  order  until  the  dish  is  full.  Have  the  top 
layer  of  crumbs.  Bake,  covered,  half  an  hour,  then  uncover  and 
brown  ten  minutes.  Serve  in  the  dish  in  which  they  were 
baked. 

BAKED  TOMATOES.    (No.  J.) 

Peel  with  a  sharp  knife.  Cut  a  piece  from  the  top  and  gouge 
out  most  of  the  pulp,  leaving  the  walls  intact.  Season  what  you 
have  removed  with  pepper,  salt,  sugar,  a  few  drops  of  onion-juice, 
and  twice  as  much  salad  oil  when  you  have  chopped  the  pulp 
rather  coarsely.  Put  it  back  into  the  tomatoes,  replace  the  top, 
sprinkle  with  oil,  paprica,  and  salt,  and  arrange  upon  a  baking- 
pan.  Bake,  covered,  for  twenty  minutes,  and  uncovered  for  five, 
and  serve  upon  buttered  Graham-bread  toast. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  247 

BAKED  TOMATOES.    (No.  2.) 

Peel  and  cut  the  tomatoes  into  halves.  Have  two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  salad  oil  hot  in  a  frying-pan  and  lay  the  halved  tomatoes 
in  this,  turning  them  over  cautiously  when  they  have  cooked 
for  one  minute,  that  they  may  be  equally  coated  with  the  hot 
fat.  Take  them  up,  without  breaking,  and  arrange  them  close 
together  in  a  bake-dish.  For  six  tomatoes,  chop  half  a  small 
clove  of  garlic — there  should  not  be  more  than  half  a  salt- 
spoonful — and  allow  two  tablespoonfuls  of  oil,  a  tablespoon ful  of 
minced  parsley,  a  dash  of  paprica,  and  half  a  teaspoonful  of  salt. 
Mix  this  sauce  well,  pour  over  the  tomatoes  in  the  dish,  cover, 
and  bake  for  twenty  minutes.  Uncover  and  cook  for  five  min- 
utes longer. 

Serve  in  the  bake-dish.  This  is  a  German  recipe,  and  a  good 
one.  Serve  with  roast  mutton. 

CREAMED  TOMATOES. 

Cut  six  firm  tomatoes  into  thick  slices  and  saute  them  in  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  butter  three  or  four  minutes,  until  they  are 
tender.  Stir  in  then  a  cupful  of  hot  cream  or  milk  in  which  has 
been  mixed  a  tablespoonful  of  flour.  Stir  over  the  fire  until  the 
sauce  thickens  well  and  serve. 

They  are  very  good. 

STUFFED  TOMATOES.  (No.  J.) 

Wash  and  wipe,  but  do  not  peel,  fine,  smooth  tomatoes.  Cut 
a  piece  from  the  top  of  each,  dig  out  most  of  the  pulp  and  re- 
place it  by  a  force-meat  of  cold  chicken  or  ham,  seasoned  with 
salt,  pepper,  sugar,  and  a  little  onion-juice.  Pack  the  tomatoes 
with  this,  replace  the  tops  and  put  into  a  baking-pan  close  to- 
gether. Fill  the  interstices  with  fine  bread-crumbs,  peppered, 
salted,  and  buttered,  and  pour  over  them  a  cupful  of  chicken- 
stock  or  consomme.  Cover  and  bake  half  an  hour. 

Take  up  the  tomatoes  and  dish  on  a  hot  platter,  add  to  the 


248  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

gravy  left  in  the  pan  half  a  cupful  of  cream  or  milk  in  which 
has  been  dissolved  a  bit  of  soda.  Heat  to  a  boil  and  pour  over 
the  tomatoes. 

STUFFED  TOMATOES.    (No.  2.) 

Cut  the  tops  off  fine,  large  tomatoes  and  scoop  out  the  inside, 
taking  care  not  to  break  the  outer  skin.  Mince  what  you  have 
removed  fine,  add  to  it  as  much  bread-crumbs,  season  to  taste 
with  salt,  pepper,  sugar,  and  a  little  butter,  and  refill  the  shells. 
Replace  the  tops,  and  if  there  is  any  stuffing  left,  put  it  between 
the  tomatoes  as  they  are  placed  side  by  side  in  a  pudding-dish. 
Cover  closely  and  bake  half  an  hour.  Uncover  and  brown. 

TOMATOES  WITH  SAUCE  PIQUANTE. 

Wash  and  wipe,  but  do  not  peel.  Cut  into  slices  half  an 
inch  in  thickness,  and  saute  in  boiling  oil  for  three  minutes  be- 
fore turning.  Turn  and  cook  three  minutes  longer,  dish,  and 
put  upon  each  a  small  teaspoonful  of  sauce  made  by  whipping 
butter  and  lemon-juice  to  a  cream,  then  adding  salt  and  paprica 
or  black  pepper. 

CURRIED  TOMATOES. 

Cook  half  a  teaspoonful  of  grated  onion  in  two  tablespoonfuls 
of  butter,  and  when  it  has  simmered  two  minutes  stir  in  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  curry-powder.  Cut  tomatoes  into  thick  slices  and 
saute  in  this  mixture.  Sprinkle  with  salt  and  serve. 

Pass  them  with  cold  meat  or  with  fish,  and  serve  plain  boiled 
rice  with  them. 

CALCUTTA  CURRY  OF  TOMATOES.1 

Peel  and  slice  a  quart  of  tomatoes  and  put  a  layer  of  them  in 
the  bottom  of  a  deep  bake-dish,  or  bowl.  Season  with  salt, 
butter,  sugar,  and  a  sprinkle  of  curry-powder,  allowing  a  tea- 
spoonful  for  the  whole  dish.  Upon  the  tomatoes  put  a  layer  of 
uncooked  rice,  allowing  a  scant  cupful  to  the  quart  of  tomatoes. 
Cover  the  rice  with  sliced  okras,  of  which  you  should  have  two 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  249 

dozen.  Sprinkle  these  with  salt,  cayenne,  and  bits  of  butter. 
Proceed  in  this  way  until  the  materials  are  all  used  up.  You 
may,  if  you  like,  cover  the  top  with  fine  crumbs,  but  they  are 
not  included  in  the  East  Indian  recipe.  Scatter  bits  of  butter 
plentifully  over  the  whole,  cover  tightly,  and  bake  steadily  over 
an  hour.  Serve  in  the  dish  or  bowl. 

FRIED  TOMATOES  IN  BATTER. 

A  nice  side-dish  is  made  by  dipping  slices  of  ripe  tomatoes 
into  a  batter  made  of  flour,  milk,  and  an  egg,  and  then  frying 
them  a  delicate  brown. 

FRIED  TOMATOES  (PLAIN). 

Wash  and  wipe,  but  do  not  peel,  the  tomatoes.  Slice,  dust 
each  piece  with  paprica,  salt,  and  sugar,  sprinkle  with  a  few 
drops  of  onion-juice ;  dip  in  fine  corn-meal,  and  fry  in  deep,  hot 
cottolene,  as  you  would  fritters.  Serve  dry  with  fish  or  with 

chops. 

DEVILED  TOMATOES. 

Fine,  firm  tomatoes — about  a  quart ;  three  hard-boiled  eggs — 
the  yolks  only ;  three  tablespoon  fu Is  of  melted  butter  ;  three  table- 
spoonfuls  of  vinegar  ;  two  raw  eggs,  whipped  light ;  oneteaspoon- 
ful  of  powdered  sugar ;  one  saltspoonful  of  salt ;  one  teaspoonful  of 
made  mustard ;  a  good  pinch  of  cayenne  pepper.  Pound  the  boiled 
yolks ;  rub  in  the  butter  and  seasoning.  Beat  light,  add  the 
vinegar,  and  heat  almost  to  a  boil.  Stir  in  the  beaten  egg  until 
the  mixture  begins  to  thicken.  Set  in  hot  water  while  you  cut 
the  tomatoes  in  slices  nearly  half  an  inch  thick.  Broil  over  a 
clear  fire  upon  a  wire  oyster-broiler.  Lay  on  a  hot-water  dish, 
and  pour  the  hot  sauce  over  them. 

EAST  INDIAN  RAGOUT  OF  TOMATOES. 

Break  the  shell  of  a  cocoanut,  saving  the  milk  if  it  be  sweet. 
Grate  the  meat  when  you  have  taken  off  the  brown  skin.  Heat 
the  milk  and  pour  it  over  the  grated  cocoanut.  (If  the  milk  be 


250  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

not  sweet  use  a  cupful  of  boiling  water,  slightly  sweetened  with 
loaf-sugar.)  Set  aside,  covered,  until  perfectly  cold,  then  strain 
through  a  muslin  bag,  squeezing  out  every  drop  of  liquid.  Peel 
and  cut  up  fine  enough  firm  tomatoes  to  make  two  cupfuls ;  add 
a  large  green  pepper,  chopped,  a  tiny  pinch  of  chopped  garlic,  a 
tablespoonful  of  grated  onion,  and  stew  gently  for  twenty  minutes. 
Add  then  a  teaspoonful  of  curry  and  draw  to  the  side  of  the 
range,  while  you  heat  the  cocoanut-milk  and  thin  with  it  a  roux 
of  one  tablespoonful  of  flour,  stirred  smooth  into  a  larger  spoon- 
ful of  boiling  butter.  Season  with  salt  to  taste,  pour  all  together 
in  a  deep  dish,  stir  in  a  quarter -teaspoonful  of  soda,  and  serve 
while  frothing. 

It  will  be  relished  by  the  lovers  of  highly  seasoned  sauces  and 
stews.     Eat  with  roast,  or  boiled  chicken,  or  with  fish. 


PEASE. 

GREEN  PEASE. 

Shell  and  wash ;  put  them  in  slightly  salted  boiling  water,  and 
cook  them  in  this  for  twenty-five  minutes.  Drain  well,  turn  into 
a  hot  dish,  put  a  lump  of  butter  the  size  of  an  egg  upon  them 
and  a  little  pepper  and  salt. 

CANNED  PEASE. 

Drain  and  leave  in  cold  water  for  ten  minutes,  put  on  in 
salted  boiling  water,  cook  fifteen  minutes ;  drop  in  a  lump  of 
white  sugar  and  a  small  sprig  of  mint,  and  cook  five  minutes 
longer. 

Drain,  butter,  pepper  and  salt,  and  serve. 

PUREE  OF  GREEN  PEASE. 

Shell  half  a  peck  of  pease  and  set  them  in  a  cold  place  while 
you  boil  the  pods  for  twenty  minutes  in  just  enough  hot,  salted 
water  to  cover  them.  Strain  them  ;  return  the  water  to  the  fire 
with  the  pease  and  a  sprig  of  mint,  and  boil  until  they  are  soft 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

enough  to  rub  through  a  colander.  When  you  have  pressed  all 
through  that  will  go,  stir  into  them  a  cupful  of  the  water  in 
which  they  were  cooked,  season  with  pepper  and  salt  and  put 
back  into  the  colander.  As  they  begin  to  simmer  stir  in  a 
roux  of  one  tablespoonful  of  flour,  cooked  for  three  minutes  in 
two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter,  cook  one  minute,  take  from  the 
fire  and  add  three  tablespoonfuls  of  cream,  that  have  been  heated 
with  a  tiny  bit  of  soda.  Pour  upon  squares  of  fried  bread  laid 
on  a  hot  platter. 

PLAIN  PUREE  OF  GREEN  PEASE. 

Boil  and  rub  a  quart  of  pease  through  a  colander,  or  pass  them 
through  a  vegetable -press.  Heat  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  in  a 
saucepan  with  pepper,  paprica,  or  a  dash  of  cayenne,  half  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  sugar,  and  three  mint  leaves,  finely  minced.  Stir  in 
the  pulped  pease  and  toss  and  stir  with  a  silver  fork  until  they 
are  very  hot.  Pile  upon  a  hot  platter  and  lay  triangles  of  fried 
bread  about  the  base. 

GREEN-PEA  PANCAKES. 

Two  cupfuls  of  green  pease  left  over  from  dinner,  or  boiled  ex- 
pressly for  this  dish,  mashed  while  hot,  and  rubbed  through  a 
colander.  Season  with  pepper,  salt,  and  butter  to  taste ;  let 
them  get  cold  ;  then  add  two  beaten  eggs  and  a  cupful  of  milk. 
Sift  half  a  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder  twice 
through  half  a  cupful  of  flour,  and  beat  in  lightly  at  the  last. 
Mix  well  and  bake  as  you  would  griddle-cakes.  Eat  hot. 

LIMA  BEANS. 

After  shelling,  cook  about  half  an  hour  in  boiling  water  with 
a  little  salt.  Drain  dry,  and  after  dishing  stir  in  a  lump  of  but- 
ter half  the  size  of  an  egg  and  pepper  and  salt  to  taste. 

LIMA  BEANS  (STEWED)/ 

Shell  a  quart  of  beans,  and  boil  tender  in  hot,  salted  water. 
Drain,  add  four  tablespoonfuls  of  hot  milk,  in  which  has  been 


252  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

melted  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  rolled  in  a  teaspoon ful  of  flour. 
Simmer  for  five  minutes,  season  with  pepper  and  salt,  and  serve. 


KIDNEY  BEANS. 

If  fresh,  cook  them  as  you  would  Lima  beans.  If  dried,  soak 
overnight,  and  put  over  the  fire  in  the  morning  in  salted  boiling 
water,  and  cook  gently  one  hour,  or  until  soft,  but  not  broken. 
Drain,  stir  in  pepper,  salt,  and  a  lump  of  butter,  and  serve. 

KIDNEY  BEANS  A  LA  LYONNAISE. 

Soak  overnight  and  boil  tender,  but  not  until  they  break ; 
drain  perfectly  dry,  throw  in  a  little  salt,  and  leave  over  an 
empty  pot  in  the  colander  at  the  side  of  the  range,  as  you  would 
potatoes,  to  "dry  off."  Have  ready  in  a  frying-pan  a  great 
spoonful  of  clarified  dripping  (that  from  roast  beef  is  best),  with 
half  a  small  onion,  grated,  and  a  little  chopped  parsley.  Salt  and 
pepper  to  taste,  and  when  hissing  hot  put  in  the  beans.  Shake 
over  the  fire  about  two  minutes,  until  the  contents  of  the  pan  are 
well  mixed,  and  as  hot  as  may  be  without  scorching,  then  serve. 

"BLACK-EYED    PEASE " 

are  really  a  species  of  bean,  although  known  at  the  South, 
where  they  are  abundant,  by  the  name  given  above.  They  are 
boiled  always  with  a  bit  of  fat  bacon,  to  give  them  richness. 
Drain  well,  pepper,  salt,  and  serve  with  the  bacon  on  the  top  of 
the  pease. 

Or— 

After  they  are  boiled  they  are  drained  and  turned  into  a  fry- 
ing-pan in  which  slices  of  fat  bacon  have  been  cooked  and  then 
taken  out,  leaving  the  fat  in  the  pan.  Saute  the  pease  in  this 
until  dry,  hot,  and  well-seasoned  by  the  fat.  Serve  dry,  and  lay 
the  fried  bacon  on  or  about  the  pease. 
•  Dried  black-eyed  pease  must  be  soaked  overnight. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  253 

CAULIFLOWER. 

BOILED  CAULIFLOWER. 

Boil  the  cauliflower,  tied  in  a  net,  in  plenty  of  hot,  salted  water, 
in  which  has  been  stirred  a  tablespoonful  of  vinegar.  When 
done,  drain  and  dish,  the  flower  upward.  Pour  over  it  a  cupful  of 
drawn  butter  seasoned  with  lemon-juice,  pepper,  and  salt.  Serve 
very  hot. 

BOILED  CAULIFLOWER  WITH  TOMATO  SAUCE. 
Cook  as  directed  in  last  recipe,  but  when  dished  pour  over  it, 
instead  of  the  white  sauce,  a  cupful  of  strained  tomato  sauce,  sea- 
soned with  butter,  sugar,  salt,  and  paprica. 

CAULIFLOWER  (PARISIAN  STYLE). 

Boil  a  good-sized  cauliflower  until  tender,  chop  it  coarsely,  and 
press  it  hard  in  a  bowl  or  mould,  so  that  it  will  keep  its  form 
when  turned  out.  Put  the  shape  thus  made  upon  a  dish  that 
will  stand  the  heat,  and  pour  over  it  a  tomato  sauce.  Make  this 
by  cooking  together  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  and  flour  in  a 
saucepan,  and  pouring  upon  them  a  pint  of  strained  tomator 
juice  in  which  half  an  onion  has  been  stewed.  Stir  until  smooth, 
and  thicken  still  more  by  the  addition  of  three  or  four  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  cracker-dust.  Salt  to  taste,  turn  the  sauce  over  the 
moulded  cauliflower,  set  it  in  the  oven  for  about  ten  minutes, 
and  serve  in  the  dish  in  which  it  is  cooked. 


CAULIFLOWER  AU  GRATIN. 
An  Italian  Recipe. 

Boil  in  hot,  salted  water  and  divide  into  tiny  clusters,  a 
flower ' '  or  two  on  each.  Butter  a  deep  dish  and  put  in  a  layer  of 
these,  sprinkling  with  butter,  salt,  and  pepper,  and  covering  first 
with  Parmesan  cheese,  then  with  cracker-crumbs.  Wet  each 
layer  with  milk,  and  fill  the  dish  in  this  order,  finishing  with  a 


i  i 


254  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

layer  of  crumbs  dotted  with  butter-bits,  and  dusted  with  cayenne. 
Bake,  covered,  half  an  hour,  then  brown.     Serve  in  the  dish. 


STEWED  CAULIFLOWER  A  LA  HOLLANDAISE. 

Cut  into  large  clusters  of  uniform  size  and  stew  tender  in 
weak  stock  or  bouillon.  (This  may  be  utilized  afterward  for 
soup.)  Drain,  butter,  salt,  and  pepper,  and  pass  with  it  drawn 
butter,  into  which  have  been  whipped  the  yolks  of  two  raw 
eggs. 

This  is  a  Dutch  recipe  and  good. 

BAKED  CAULIFLOWER. 

Cut  into  clusters  and  stew  tender  in  boiling,  salted  water.  Or, 
if  you  have  a  couple  of  small  cauliflowers,  boil  them  whole  and 
dish  together.  Drain  and  lay  in  a  bake-dish.  Pour  over  it  a 
good  white  sauce  (hot),  sprinkle  with  grated  cheese  and  paprica, 
and  bake,  covered,  twenty  minutes. 

It  will  be  found  very  nice. 


SPINACH. 

GERMAN  SPINACH. 

Pick  over  a  peck  of  spinach  heedfully,  removing  all  decayed 
and  withered  leaves.  Less  than  a  peck  will  not  make  a  dish 
of  fair  size.  Pick  off  the  leaves,  lay  in  cold  water  for  half  an 
hour,  and,  without  shaking  off  the  wet,  fill  an  agate-iron  or 
porcelain  saucepan  with  them,  adding  no  water.  The  wet 
leaves  will  not  scorch  and  will  presently  yield  enough  liquid  to 
cook  themselves.  Cover  the  saucepan  to  facilitate  the  process 
and  now  and  then  stir  up  from  the  bottom.  Bring  slowly  to 
the  boil,  after  which  cook  fast  for  fifteen  minutes.  The  idea 
prevalent  in  some  kitchens  that  spinach  should  boil  for,  at  least, 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  2$$ 

one  hour,  accounts  partially  for  the  ill-conditioned  messes  of- 
ten dished  under  this  name. 

Salt  the  boiled  spinach  in  the  pot,  turn  into  a  colander  to 
drain,  then  into  a  chopping- tray,  and  mince  it  fine.  Heat  a 
great  spoonful  of  butter  in  a  saucepan  and  make  a  roux  of  it 
with  a  scant  tablespoonful  of  flour.  When  they  bubble  tog°ther 
season  with  pepper  and  salt  and  stir  in  the  spinach.  Heat  to 
a  boil,  put  in  with  the  mixture  four  tablespoonfuls  of  cream, 
and  stir  almost  dry.  Turn  into  a  deep  dish,  or  mound  upon  a 
platter,  and  garnish  with  slices  of  hard-boiled  egg,  or  triangles 
of  fried  bread. 

SPINACH  IN  A  MOULD. 

Pick  over  carefully,  wash,  clip  off  the  stems,  and  put  the  leaves, 
without  water,  in  a  saucepan  over  the  fire.  Boil  fifteen  minutes. 
When  done,  drain,  pressing  out  all  the  water.  Chop  fine, 
put  back  into  the  saucepan  with  a  piece  of  butter — a  large  spoon- 
ful for  a  good  dish — a  little  powdered  sugar,  salt  and  pepper  to 
taste.  Stir  and  toss  until  very  hot ;  press  hard  into  a  mould 
wet  with  hot  water,  and  turn  out  with  care  upon  a  heated  dish. 
Lay  round  slices  of  hard-boiled  eggs  on  the  top. 


FRENCH  SPINACH. 

Boil  as  directed  in  foregoing  recipes,  chop,  heat  with  the  roux, 
and  season  with  pepper  and  sajt.  In  place  of  the  cream  in  the 
German  method,  add  the  same  quantity  of  white  stock — chicken 
or  veal — adding  half  a  saltspoonful  of  nutmeg  or  mace  and  an 
even  teaspoonful  of  sugar,  with  a  pinch  of  grated  lemon-peel. 
This  seasoning  imparts  an  exquisite  flavor  to  the  vegetable. 

SPINACH  SOUFFLE. 

Boil  and  chop  a  peck  of  spinach,  and  while  hot  stir  in  a  table- 
spoonful  of  butter  and  a  beaten  egg,  salt,  and  nutmeg.  Season 
with  a  little  sugar,  pepper,  and  set  away  to  get  cold.  When 


256  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

you  are  ready  for  it,  whip  into  the  cold  spinach  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  cream  and  the  stiffened  whites  of  three  eggs.  Pour 
into  a  handsome  bake-dish,  sift  a  small  teaspoonful  of  powdered 
sugar  on  top,  and  bake  in  a  hot  oven  ten  minutes,  covered,  five 
minutes  when  you  have  uncovered  it.  Send  immediately  to 
table,  as  it  soon  falls. 

It  may  be  served  as  a  separate  course  at  a  luncheon.  Each 
portion  should  be  helped  out  upon  a  square  of  fried  bread  laid 
upon  each  plate. 

As  the  initiated  will  at  once  see,  this  is  also  a  French  recipe. 


SPINACH  BOILED  PLAIN, 

Wash  a  peck  of  spinach,  pick  the  leaves  from  the  stems,  and, 
without  shaking  off  the  wet,  put  them  into  an  agate-iron  or 
porcelain  saucepan.  Set  this  in  a  pot  of  boiling  water,  cover 
closely,  and  cook  for  fifteen  minutes.  Stir  up  well  from  the 
bottom,  then,  and  put  into  the  saucepan  a  tablespoonful  of  hot 
water  in  which  has  been  dissolved  half  a  saltspoonful  of  soda. 
•Beat  in  well,  cover  the  pot,  and  cook  ten  minutes  longer. 
Drain  the  spinach  in  a  colander  without  pressing  it  at  first,  sea- 
soning with  salt,  pepper,  butter,  a  little  sugar,  and  half  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  lemon-juice.  Turn  into  a  hot  colander,  press  out 
the  remaining  juice  very  gently  not  to  bruise  the  spinach,  and 
serve  on  a  heated  platter.  Cover  with  slices  of  hard-boiled  egg, 
and  serve  one  with  each  portion  of  spinach.  The  soda  gives  a 
fine  green  to  this  vegetable. 

SPINACH  A  LA  GENEVE. 

Cook  as  directed  in  foregoing  recipe,  but  mound  upon  a  hot 
platter  and  cover  completely  with  the  yolks  of  six  hard-boiled 
eggs  rubbed  to  a  powder,  with  a  narrow  border  of  the  whites 
minced  fine  at  the  lower  and  outer  edge  of  the  mound.  The 
effect  is  exceedingly  pretty  and  the  pounded  egg  is  a  pleasant 
addition  to  the  spinach. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


ASPARAGUS. 

BOILED  ASPARAGUS. 

Scrape  the  stalks  and  lay  them  in  cold  water  for  half  an 
hour  ;  tie  into  a  rather  loose  bundle  with  soft  string,  and  cook  in 
hot,  salted  water  for  half  an  hour. 

It  is  no  longer  considered  necessary  to  lay  boiled  asparagus 
upon  toast,  many  good  judges  of  cooking  preferring  to  serve  it 
without  the  sodden  underpinning.  If  you  are  thus  minded, 
undo  the  string  and  arrange  the  stalks  upon  a  hot  dish.  Pour 
white  or  Hollandaise  sauce  over  it,  or  pass  this  separately.  Or 
you  may  serve  melted  butter  with  it. 

ASPARAGUS  A  LA  VINAIGRETTE. 

Boil  as  directed,  and  while  the  stalks  are  hot  pour  over  them  a 
dressing  made  of  three  tablespoon fu Is  of  salad  oil  to  one  of  vine- 
gar, a  teaspoonful  of  French  mustard,  a  little  salt  and  cayenne, 
and  a  saltspoonful  of  sugar.  Set  away  in  a  closely  covered  dish, 
and  when  cold  put  upon  the  ice  for  some  hours  before  serving. 
It  ranks  among  salads,  but  is  a  delicious  accompaniment  to  cold 
lamb  or  chicken  on  a  hot  day. 

SCALLOPED  ASPARAGUS. 

Wash  the  asparagus  and  cut  off  the  hard,  woody  part  of  the 
stalks.  Cut  the  tender  part  into  inch  lengths  and  parboil  for  ten 
minutes  in  hot,  salted  water.  Drain  and  put  a  layer  of  them  in 
a  buttered?  bake-dish.  Scatter  over  this  minced,  hard-boiled  eggs, 
season  with  salt,  pepper,  and  butter-bits,  and  go  on  thus  until 
the  ingredients  are  used  up.  You  need  about  four  eggs  to  a 
bunch  of  asparagus.  Make  a  roux  of  a  large  tablespoonful  of  but- 
ter and  one  of  flour,  and  thin  with  a  cupful  of  hot  milk.  Cook  for 
a  minute,  season  with  paprica,  and  pour  over  the  asparagus,  a 
layer  of  which  should  be  uppermost  in  the  scallop;  sift  fine 
crumbs  over  all  with  bits  of  butter  stuck  in  it  and  grated 
17 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

cheese  upon  this.     Bake  twenty  minutes,  covered,  then  brown 
slightly. 

ASPARAGUS  TIPS. 

Use  for  this  dish  only  the  delicate  tips  of  asparagus,  less  than 
two  inches  long.  Boil  in  hot,  salted  water  until  tender;  drain, 
turn  into  a  deep  dish,  pepper,  salt,  butter,  and  pour  a  good 
white  sauce  over  them — half  a  cupful  to  one  cupful  of  the  tips. 

ASPARAGUS  PATES. 

Cut  rounds  of  stale  bread  an  inch  and  a  half  thick.  Press  a 
small  cutter  an  inch  deep  into  each,  and  dig  out  the  inside, 
leaving  a  round,  saucer-like  cavity.  Butter  these  well  and  set 
upon  the  grating  of  a  hot  oven  to  crisp  and  to  color  lightly.  Fill 
them  with  asparagus  tips  prepared  as  in  the  last  recipe,  and 
serve  hot. 

This  is  a  nice  luncheon  entree. 


CABBAGE. 

We  have  not  time  to  enter  into  the  discussion  of  the  problem 
why  the  laboring  classes  have  taken  upon  trust  the  dogma  that 
potatoes  and  cabbage  are  especially  adapted  to  their  wants,  and 
may  be  drawn  upon  for  daily  strength  for  daily  needs.  While 
more  nutritious  than  the  turnip,  which  carries  a  weight  of  ninety- 
two  per  cent,  of  water  into  the  human  stomach,  it  has  little  to 
boast  of  in  the  way  of  food  for  blood,  brain,  brawn,  or  bone. 
Out  of  one  hundred  parts  of  constituent  matter  eighty -nine  parts 
of  cabbage  are  water ;  one  and  a  fifth  part  albuminoids  ;  five  and 
an  eighth  sugar,  starch,  and  gum ;  next  to  nothing  fat ;  two  parts 
cellulose ;  one  and  one  half  part  minerals.  The  cousins-germ  an 
of  English-born  cabbage — cauliflower  and  broccoli — are  some- 
what richer  in  nutriment-values  than  itself. 

Whether  or  not  it  is  worth  the  time  and  strength  of  a  rational 
being  to  distend  his  stomach  with  so  much  to  get  so  little  is  a 
question  the  cabbage-loving  reader  must  decide  for  himself. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  2$$ 


BOILED  CABBAGE. 

Quarter  a  firm  cabbage,  take  off  the  outer  leaves,  and  cut  out 
the  stalk.  Wash  thoroughly,  keeping  a  sharp  lookout  for  insects, 
and  put  into  a  pot  of  boiling  water  in  which  have  been  dissolved 
two  teaspoonfuls  of  salt  and  a  bit  of  carbonate  of  soda  as  large 
as  a  filbert.  Cook  the  cabbage  fifteen  minutes  after  the  boil  be- 
gins again ;  turn  off  the  water  and  fill  up  with  fresh  from  the 
boiling  tea-kettle  ;  drop  in  a  teaspoonful  of  salt  and  cook  ten 
minutes  longer.  Turn  into  a  colander,  drain  off  all  the  water, 
pressing  until  no  more  runs  out.  Chop  the  cabbage  in  a  chop- 
ping-tray,  quickly ;  stir  in  butter,  salt,  and  pepper ;  return  to  the 
fire  in  a  saucepan  and  stir  until  it  is  smoking  hot,  and  dish. 
Send  around  vinegar  with  it  for  those  who  like  it. 


CREAMED  CABBAGE. 

Cook  as  directed  in  last  recipe,  chop  and  turn  into  a  sauce- 
pan, and  mix  with  it  a  sauce  made  of  one  tablespoonful  of  flour 
stirred  into  one  of  hot  butter  until  it  bubbles,  then  thinned 
with  four  tablespoonfuls  of  hot  milk  and  seasoned  with  salt  and 
pepper.  Cook  one  minute  and  dish. 

SCALLOPED  CABBAGE. 

Cut  a  small  cabbage  into  quarters,  and  boil  tender  in  hot, 
salted  water.  When  perfectly  cold  chop  and  season  with  pepper 
and  a  little  butter.  Beat  up  a  raw  egg  and  stir  it  in.  Moisten 
well  with  liquor  from  the  beef-pot.  Turn  the  mixture  into  a 
greased  bake-dish,  and  cover  with  fine  bread-crumbs.  Wet  these 
with  pot-liquor  and  bake,  covered,  half  an  hour,  then  brown. 
The  time  required  to  transform  the  homely  farm  fare  of  corned 
beef  and  cabbage  into  a  dinner  to  which  no  man  need  be 
ashamed  to  invite  his  most  honored  guest  will  not  transcend  the 
season  usually  given  to  cooking  the  plainer  dish  by  forty-five 
minutes.  Perhaps  half  an  hour  would  suffice. 


26O  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

CABBAGE  SCALLOPED  WITH  CHEESE. 

A  German  Recipe. 

Boil  the  cabbage  in  two  waters,  drain  and  chop  fine.  Make 
a  white  sauce  of  one  tablespoonful  of  flour  stirred  into  two  of 
bubbling  hot  butter  and  thinned  with  a  cupful  of  hot  milk,  and 
seasoned  with  cayenne  and  salt  with  a  pinch  of  nutmeg.  Rub  a 
bake-dish  with  garlic,  and  butter  it ;  spread  a  layer  of  cabbage  on 
the  bottom  ;  squeeze  over  it  a  little  lemon-juice  and  less  of  onion- 
juice  ;  cover  with  the  white  sauce  and  this  with  grated  cheese. 
Fill  the  dish  in  this  order,  and  put  over  all  fine  bread-crumbs 
dotted  with  butter  and  sprinkled  lightly  with  cayenne.  Bake, 
covered,  half  an  hour,  and  brown.  Serve  in  the  bake-dish. 

STOCKHOLM  STEWED  CABBAGE. 

Shred  the  cabbage  while  raw,  as  for  sauerkraut,  when  you 
have  washed  it  well  and  laid  it  in  cold  water  for  half  an  hour. 
Cover  three  inches  deep  in  boiling  salted  water  in  which  has 
been  dropped  a  bit  of  soda ;  cook  ten  minutes  after  the  boil  be- 
gins again ;  turn  off  the  water  and  cover  with  more  from  the 
tea-kettle.  Cook  ten  minutes  in  this  and  drain  well.  Return  to 
the  saucepan  with  a  cupful  of  hot  milk,  a  tablespoonful  of  butter, 
salt,  pepper,  and  a  pinch  of  nutmeg,  and  stew  until  soft  and 
nearly  dry.  Heap  upon  a  platter  and  garnish  with  boiled  sau- 
sages or  balls  of  fried  calf's  brains. 

This  is  a  genuine  Swedish  recipe  and  not  unpalatable. 

CABBAGE  AU  MAITRE  DTiOTEL. 

Boil  in  two  waters  and  let  the  cabbage  get  perfectly  cold  be- 
fore chopping  it.  Season  with  paprica  and  salt,  and  stir  the 
chopped  cabbage  into  a  saucepan  containing  a  cupful  of  hot 
stock.  Cook  until  heated  through  and  almost  dry,  add  a  table- 
spoonful  of  melted  butter  and  the  juice  of  a  lemon,  and  dish. 

This  is  an  Alsatian  recipe. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  26 1 


HOT  SLAW. 

Shred  a  small,  firm  head  of  cabbage  fine,  put  into  a  bowl  and 
pour  over  it  a  sauce  made  thus :  Heat  in  a  saucepan  a  cupful  of 
vinegar,  and  when  hot  add  a  tablespoonful  each  of  butter  and  of 
sugar,  half  a  teaspoonful  of  made  mustard,  a  saltspoonful  of 
salt,  and  the  same  of  black  or  white  pepper.  When  well  mixed 
with  this  the  shred  cabbage  must  be  heated  to  scalding  and 
poured  into  a  deep  dish.  Stir  into  it  quickly  two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  sour  cream,  cover  and  set  in  hot  water  ten  minutes  before 
serving. 

CABBAGE  SPROUTS  OR  YOUNG  GREENS. 

Wash,  trim,  and  boil  in  hot  water  with  a  bit  of  streaked  pork 
two  inches  square.  WThen  tender,  drain,  season  with  pepper 
and  salt,  and  mince  quickly,  lest  they  get  cold.  Stir  in  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  melted  butter  and  two  tablespoon fu Is  of  vinegar,  and 
serve.  Slice  the  pork  and  lay  about  the  greens. 

SEAKALE. 

An  excellent  green  that  deserves  to  be  better  known  may  be 
cooked  according  to  the  foregoing  recipe,  or  without  pork. 

BROCCOLL 

Wash  and  leave  in  cold  water,  slightly  salted,  for  one  hour. 
Cook  in  boiling  salted  water  for  fifteen  minutes,  or  until  tender. 
Drain  very  dry,  season  with  salt  and  pepper,  and  dish.  Pour 
over  it  two  tablespoon fuls  of  melted  butter  (for  two  cupfuls  of 
broccoli)  in  which  has  been  stirred  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon. 

BRUSSELS  SPROUTS 

are  cooked  in  the  same  way. 

KOHLRABL 

Boil  tender  in  two  waters,  salting  both,  and  putting  into  the 
second  a  tablespoonful  of  vinegar.  Peel  off  the  outer  skin,  pep- 


262  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

per  and  salt,  and  serve  with  white  sauce  or  drawn  butter,  with  the 
juice  of  a  lemon  stirred  into  it,  poured  over  the  kohlrabi. 

ONIONS. 

That  onions  "  have  a  feeding  value  superior  to  that  of  white 
turnips  ' '  hardly  reassures  those  of  us  who  had  classed  them 
among  our  most  nutritious  vegetables  until  we  see  them  tabu- 
lated as  bearing  ninety-one  per  cent,  of  water.  The  proportion 
of  mucilage,  pectose,  and  sugar  is,  however,  four  and  one-eighth 
parts,  and  they  have  two  per  cent,  of  cellulose  matter.  They 
also  contain  a  minute  portion  of  sulphur,  represented  by  their 
pungent  odor.  "  The  bulb  is  commonly  regarded  as  a  mere 
flavorer,"  writes  an  English  analyst  of  its  properties.  In  this  ca- 
pacity <<no  family  should  be  without  it,"  and  as  experience 
gratefully  attests,  the  bulbs,  when  judiciously  cooked,  sit  lightly 
upon  the  digestive  organs. 

BOILED  ONIONS. 

Peel  and  lay  them  in  cold  water  for  half  an  hour ;  then  boil 
tender  in  two  waters,  hot  and  salted.  Drain,  pepper  and  salt,  and 
cover  with  a  white  sauce. 

YOUNG  ONIONS  (STEWED). 

They  should  vary  in  size  from  a  filbert  to  a  hickory-nut.  Cut 
off  the  stalks,  skin,  wash,  and  put  over  the  fire  in  hot,  salted 
water.  Cook  twenty  minutes  in  this,  drain,  and  return  to  the 
saucepan  with  a  cupful  of  hot  milk  in  which  has  been  dissolved  a 
tiny  bit  of  soda.  Stir  in,  presently,  a  tablespoonful  of  butter 
rolled  in  as  much  flour,  and  stew  gently  until  the  sauce  thick- 
ens well. 

Cooked  thus,  they  are  delicious  and  easily  digested.  Always 
boil  onions  in  an  open  saucepan.  The  smell  will  be  much  less 
offensive  than  when  cooked  in  a  covered  vessel.  A  bit  of  clean 
charcoal,  tied  in  a  rag,  put  into  the  first  water,  also  lessens  this 
nuisance,  and  a  cupful  of  vinegar  boiling  beside  them  on  the  range 
is  said  further  to  mitigate  it. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  26$ 

BAKED  ONIONS, 

A  Norwegian  Recipe. 

Cook  tender  in  two  waters — the  second  salted  and  boiling. 
Drain  well,  pressing  each  onion  in  a  coarse  cloth,  gently,  not  to 
break  it,  and  when  they  are  dry,  lay  all  together,  side  by 
side,  in  a  bake-pan.  Pepper,  salt,  and  butter,  and  add  a  cupful 
of  stock.  Brown  in  a  quick  oven  ;  take  out  the  onions  and  keep 
them  hot  in  a  deep  dish  while  you  thicken  the  gravy  left  in  the 
pan  with  browned  flour.  Pour  over  the  onions,  set  in  the  oven 
for  two  minutes,  and  serve. 

BERMUDA  ONIONS  (STUFFED). 

Peel  large  Bermuda  or  Spanish  onions,  and  parboil  them  for 
ten  minutes.  Drain,  and  let  them  get  perfectly  cold.  With  a 
sharp  knife  dig  out  the  centre  from  each  and  fill  with  a  force- 
meat of  minced  meat,  veal,  ham,  or  chicken,  well  seasoned,  and 
mixed  with  one-third  as  much  fine  crumbs.  Season  with  salt  and 
cayenne  and  a  little  butter.  Set  the  stuffed  onions  close  to- 
gether in  a  dish,  fill  the  interstices  with  crumbs,  and  scatter  more 
over  the  top.  Pour  about  them  enough  weak  stock  to  keep  them 
from  burning — about  an  inch  in  the  bottom  of  the  dish  will  do 
— and  cook,  covered,  half  an  hour.  Uncover  and  brown  lightly. 

Onion-lovers  will  find  this  very  palatable. 

BEETS. 

You  cannot  be  too  careful,  in  preparing  beets  for  cooking,  not 
to  cut  or  even  scratch  the  skins.  If  this  accident  occurs  they 
will  bleed  themselves  white  in  the  water  and  lose  flavor  and  crisp- 
ness  with  their  complexions. 

YOUNG  BOILED  BEETS, 

After  washing  them,  boil  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  scrape, 
slice,  and  pour  over  them  a  tablespoonful  of  butter,  two  of  vine- 
gar, and  a  little  pepper  and  salt. 


264  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

OLD  BEETS  (BOILED). 

Wash  and  cook  in  hot,  salted  water  from  two  to  three  hours, 
according  to  age  and  size.  Throw  at  once  into  cold  water  when 
done,  to  loosen  the  skins ;  peel  quickly,  slice  thin,  dish,  and 
pour  over  them  a  sauce  made  of  three  tablespoon fuls  of  scalding 
vinegar,  a  tablespoonful  of  butter,  and  a  little  pepper  and  salt. 
Serve  hot. 

"  Left-overs  "  of  beets  should  be  kept  for  salad  and  for  gar- 
nishes. 

BEET-TOPS. 

A  German  Recipe. 

Cut  half  a  pound  of  cold  boiled  ham  into  dice  and  fry  in  a 
little  salad  oil  with  half  a  grated  onion.  Add  two  tablespoonfuls 
of  hot  vinegar  and  set  in  hot  water  while  you  wash,  pick  over, 
and  boil  the  greens  in  hot,  salted  water.  Fifteen  minutes  should 
make  them  tender.  Chop  fine,  drain  well,  and  mix  with  the 
fried  ham  and  vinegar.  Dish  hot,  with  poached  eggs  on  top  of 
the  greens. 

BEET  GREENS. 

An  English  Recipe. 

Choose  two  quarts  of  very  tender,  young  beet-tops.  Wash 
and  pick  them  apart.  Melt  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  in  a 
saucepan  ;  put  in  the  beet-tops,  cover  closely,  and  cook  twenty 
minutes,  stirring  often  to  prevent  scorching.  They  should  be 
very  tender.  Turn  into  a  hot  dish,  season  with  pepper  and  salt, 
and  cover  all  over  with  slices  of  hard-boiled  eggs. 

DANDELION  GREENS. 

Pick  over,  wash,  and  boil  in  hot,  salted  water.  Drain  when 
tender,  chop,  and  season  with  salt,  pepper,  butter,  and  a  table- 
spoonful  of  vinegar,  or  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon.  Serve  hot. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  26$ 


CUCUMBERS* 

"The  fruit  contains  little  besides  water,  some  grape-sugar, 
and  a  trace  of  volatile  flavoring  water."  Thus  a  distinguished 
dietetist.  Cucumbers  are  by  him  tabulated  as  containing 
ninety -six  parts  of  water  and  two  parts  of  sugar  (glucose).  The 
other  constituents  are  put  down  in  fractions. 

Nevertheless,  millions  of  people  find  them  toothsome  and  re- 
freshing, and  perhaps  one-half  the  number  maintain  that  the 
"  fruit "  does  not  disagree  with  them.  This  latter  item  of  testi- 
mony would  be  more  general  if  cucumbers  were  eaten  fresh  and 
were  sometimes  cooked,  instead  of  always  appearing  upon  their 
tables  raw. 

STEWED  CUCUMBERS. 

Peel  and  quarter  six  cucumbers  and  lay  them  in  ice-cold  water 
for  fifteen  minutes.  (Do  not  salt  the  water.)  Then  put  them  into 
a  shallow  saucepan  ;  cover  with  boiling  water  and  cook  slowly  for 
half  an  hour.  Drain,  without  pressing,  leaving  the  quarters 
whole;  transfer  daintily  to  a  heated  platter  and  cover  with  a 
maltre  d' hotel  sauce  (see  Sauces).  Eat  hot. 


STUFFED  CUCUMBERS. 

Cut  full-grown  cucumbers  of  uniform  size  into  halves  and  re- 
move the  seeds.  Fill  the  halves  with  a  force-meat  of  minced 
chicken,  or  veal,  or  lamb,  or  fish,  mixed  with  one-third  the 
quantity  of  fine  crumbs,  seasoned  with  salt,  butter,  and  cayenne. 
Place  two  filled  halves  carefully  together,  bind  in  place  with  soft 
string ;  lay  the  cucumbers  in  a  bake-pan  and  just  cover  with 
good  stock.  Cover  and  cook  tender  in  a  moderate  oven.  One 
hour  should  do  this.  Clip  the  strings,  lay  the  cucumbers  in  a 
hot  dish,  and  keep  them  warm  over  boiling  water,  while  you 
thicken  the  pan-gravy  with  a  roux  of  browned  flour,  boiling 
up  once.  Pour  about  the  cucumbers  and  serve. 


266  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

This  is  a  popular  Syrian  dish,  and  is  much  liked  by  tourists. 
Vegetable  marrows  are  prepared  in  like  manner  by  native  cooks. 


STUFFED  CUCUMBERS  WITH  TOMATO  SAUCE. 

Prepare  as  directed  in  the  last  recipe,  but  stir  into  the  pan- 
gravy  a  cupful  of  strained  and  seasoned  tomato  sauce  with  the 
roux. 

FRIED  CUCUMBERS. 

Pare,  cut  into  slices  nearly  half  an  inch  thick.  Lay  in  ice- 
water  for  fifteen  minutes.  Wipe  dry,  dust  with  pepper  and  salt, 
and  flour,  or  dip  into  egg,  then  into  cracker-dust  and  fry  in  deep, 
hot  cottolene.  Drain,  and  serve  hot  and  dry.  Pass  sliced 
lemon  with  them,  or  mayonnaise  dressing. 

0 

CUCUMBERS  FRIED  IN  BATTER. 

Pare  six  cucumbers  and  cut  crosswise  into  slices  half  an  inch 
thick.  Lay  in  ice-water  while  you  make  a  batter  of  one  cupful  of 
milk,  one  egg,  well  beaten,  a  saltspoonful  of  salt,  half  as  much 
paprica,  and  a  heaping  cupful  of  flour  in  which  is  sifted,  twice, 
the  salt  and  a  scant  half-teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Pow- 
der. Beat  quickly  to  a  light  batter,  dip  the  cucumber  slices  into 
it,  and  drop,  one  at  a  time,  into  deep,  hot  cottolene.  Cook  as 
you  would  doughnuts,  and  drain  in  a  hot  colander  before  serving. 

DEVILED  CUCUMBERS. 

Fry  as  in  recipe  for  Fried  Cucumbers,  and  when  all  are  done 
heap  upon  a  heated  platter.  Pour  over  them  this  sauce  : 

One  cupful  of  strained  hot  tomato-juice;  half  a  teaspoonful  of 
salt  and  the  same  of  made  mustard,  a  teaspoonful  of  sugar,  a 
pinch  of  cayenne,  a  dozen  drops  or  so  of  onion-juice,  a  table- 
spoonful  of  salad  oil,  and  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon.  Heat  all 
together  until  scalding ;  pour  over  the  cucumbers  and  send  to 
table. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  267 

CREAMED  CUCUMBERS. 
An  English  Recipe. 

Pare  the  cucumbers,  cut  crosswise  into  half-inch  slices,  and 
leave  for  half  an  hour  in  ice- water. 

Cover  them  with  boiling  water  and  simmer  fifteen  minutes. 
Drain  and  throw  away  this  water,  and  just  cover  the  cucumbers 
with  more,  boiling  hot,  in  which  has  been  melted  a  tablespoonful 
of  butter.  Salt  and  pepper,  and  keep  hot  in  a  pan  of  boiling 
water  until  the  sauce  is  ready. 

Make  a  roux  of  one  tablespoonful  of  butter  heated  and  worked 
smooth  with  one  of  flour,  then  thinned  with  a  cupful  of  hot 
cream,  and  seasoned  with  salt  and  cayenne.  Line  a  hot  platter 
with  slices  of  buttered  toast,  turn  the  cucumbers  upon  these, 
squeeze  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon  upon  them,  and  pour  the  cream 
sauce  over  all. 

SCALLOPED  CUCUMBERS.    (No.  J.) 

Pare  six  full-grown  cucumbers,  and  cut  into  dice  half  an  inch 
square.  Butter  a  pudding-dish  and  put  in  a  layer  of  the  dice, 
sprinkling  with  lemon-  and  with  onion-juice.  Cover  with  fine 
crumbs  seasoned  with  celery-salt,  cayenne,  or  paprica,  and  but- 
ter-bits. Fill  the  dish  in  this  order,  covering  all  with  peppered, 
salted,  and  buttered  crumbs.  Cover  closely  and  bake  one  hour, 
then  brown.  Pass  a  sauce  piquante  with  it,  and  thin  slices  of 
buttered  brown  bread. 

SCALLOPED  CUCUMBERS.    (No.  2.) 

Prepare  as  directed  in  last  recipe,  but  instead  of  layers  of 
bread-crumbs,  spread  over  each  layer  of  seasoned  bread-crumbs 
this  sauce : 

Heat  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  in  a  frying-pan  and  stir  into  it 
one  of  flour.  When  it  bubbles,  thin  with  a  cupful  of  hot  cream 
or  rich  milk.  Let  the  sauce  get  cold  before  using.  Cover  the 
top  layer  of  sauce  with  fine  crumbs,  bake  one  hour,  covered,  then 
brown. 


268  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


LETTUCE. 

Invaluable  as  it  is  in  the  realm  of  salads,  it  is  not  generally 
known  that  it  is  palatable  cooked.  Besides  the  recipe  for  cream- 
lettuce  soup,  we  give  here  one  that  has  found  favor  upon  good 
men's  tables  abroad,  and  of  late  in  our  country. 

BOILED  LETTUCE. 

Wash  firm  heads  of  lettuce.  Trim  away  wilted  and  coarse  outer 
leaves  and  cut  the  stalks  close  to  the  lowest  leaves.  Tie  each 
head  up  separately  with  a  bit  of  tape  or  soft  string,  and  lay  close 
together  in  a  wide  saucepan.  Cover  with  good  consomme,  and 
cook  slowly,  covered,  for  half  an  hour,  or  until  the  heads  are 
easily  pierced  by  a  straw.  Take  out  with  care,  drain  each  head 
separately  in  a  colander  without  bruising,  and  lay  upon  a  hot 
platter.  Keep  hot  while  you  stir  a  white  roux  into  the  pan- 
gravy  and  boil  up  once.  Pour  over  the  "lettuce  when  you  have 
clipped  and  drawn  out  the  strings. 

STEAMED  LETTUCE. 

Pick  apart  two  large  heads  of  lettuce,  wash  well,  and  put  into 
a  steamer  over  a  kettle  of  hot  water,  or  improvise  a  steamer  by 
help  of  a  colander  and  a  pot  of  boiling  water.  Cover  closely 
and  keep  in  all  jets  of  steam  by  further  laying  a  thick  folded 
cloth  upon  the  lid.  Boil  the  water  furiously  for  half  an  hour ; 
lift  the  wilted  lettuce  and  lay  upon  a  hot  dish.  Sprinkle  with 
pepper  and  salt,  and  pour  a  sauce  piquante  over  it. 


SQUASH. 
BOILED  SQUASH. 

Pare  off  the  outer  shell,  take  out  the  seeds,  and  cut  into  small 
pieces.  Boil  in  hot,  salted  water  until  tender.  If  young, 
twenty  minutes  will  do  this ;  a  longer  time  is  required  for  full- 
grown  squash.  Drain  well,  rub  through  a  vegetable-press,  and 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  269 

return  to  the  saucepan.  Mix  with  salt,  pepper,  and  a  tablespoon- 
ful  of  butter  made  into  a  roux  with  a  tablespoonful  of  flour.  Stir 
and  beat  for  a  whole  minute,  until  you  have  a  creamy,  smoking 
mass,  and  pour  out.  Squash  cooked  in  this  way  is  a  very  dif- 
ferent thing  from  the  watery  stuff  usually  served  under  that  name. 

BAKED  SQUASH. 

Boil  and  mash  the  squash,  stir  in  two  teaspoonfuls  of  butter, 
an  egg,  beaten  light,  a  quarter  of  a  cupful  of  milk,  and  pepper  and 
salt  to  taste.  Fill  a  buttered  pudding-dish  with  this,  strew  fine 
bread-crumbs  over  the  top  and  bake  to  a  nice  brown. 

SQUASH  FRITTERS. 

To  two  cupfuls  of  cooked  and  creamed  squash  (cold)  allow  two 
of  milk,  two  eggs,  a  saltspoonful  of  salt,  and  half  a  cupful  of  flour 
in  which  has  been  sifted  half  a  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  Bak- 
ing Powder.  There  should  be  just  enough  flour  to  hold  the 
mixture  together.  Bake  on  a  griddle  as  you  would  cakes,  and 
send  to  table  hot. 


EGG-PLANT* 

FRIED  EGG-PLANT.    (No.  J.) 

Slice  the  egg-plant  about  half  an  inch  thick,  peeling  the 
slices.  Lay  them  in  salt  and  water  for  an  hour,  placing  a  plate 
on  them  to  keep  them  down.  Wipe  each  slice  dry,  and  dip 
into  a  batter  made  of  a  beaten  egg,  a  cupful  of  milk,  half  a  cup- 
ful of  flour,  and  pepper  and  salt.  Fry  in  boiling  dripping  and 
serve  on  a  hot  dish,  first  draining  off  all  the  grease. 

FRIED  EGG-PLANT.  (No.  2.) 

Peel  and  slice  the  egg-plant  at  least  half  an  inch  thick ;  pare 
the  pieces  carefully  and  lay  in  salt  and  water,  putting  a  plate 
upon  the  topmost  to  keep  it  under  the  brine,  and  let  them  alone 


270  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

for  an  hour  or  more.  Wipe  each  slice,  dip  in  beaten  egg,  then 
in  cracker-crumbs,  and  saute  in  hot  fat  until  well  done  and  nicely 
browned. 

BROILED  EGG-PLANT. 

Peel  and  cut  into  rather  thin  slices  and  lay  in  salted  ice-water 
for  an  hour;  spread  upon  a  soft  towel  and  cover  with  another,  pat- 
ting and  pressing  the  slices  until  they  are  entirely  dry.  Leave 
them  for  ten  minutes  in  a  mixture  of  three  tablespoonfuls  of  olive 
oil  and  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon  ;  sprinkle  then  with  salt  and 
pepper,  and  broil  quickly  upon  a  wire  broiler.  Twelve  minutes 
should  cook  both  sides. 


STUFFED  EGG-PLANT, 
A  Roman  Recipe. 

Parboil  a  good -sized  egg-plant  for  ten  minutes,  and  throw  at 
once  into  ice-cold  salted  water.  Leave  it  there  for  an  hour.  It 
should  then  be  fine  and  plump.  Cut  into  halves,  lengthwise, 
and  scoop  out  seeds  and  pulp,  leaving  the  walls  half  an  inch 
thick.  Rub  the  pulp  through  a  colander,  add  to  it  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  minced  chicken  and  the  same  of  minced  pine-nuts. 
(If  you  cannot  get  them,  use  almonds  blanched  and  chopped.) 
Work  in  a  saltspoonful  of  salt  and  half  as  much  pepper,  with  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  fine,  dry  crumbs.  Fill  the  divided  halves  of 
the  egg-plant  with  this  stuffing  and  bind  them  into  the  original 
shape  with  soft  string.  Put  into  a  bake-dish  with  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  water  and  butter,  or  the  same  of  stock ;  cover 
closely  and  bake  in  a  moderate  oven  for  half  an  hour.  With- 
draw the  string  carefully  and  dish. 

You  may,  if  you  like,  butter  the  hot  egg-plant  well  when  half- 
done  and  sift  fine  crumbs  over  it,  then  brown  lightly.  It  is  a 
handsome  entree  when  this  is  done. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  2jl 

CARROTS. 

Their  chief  use  in  the  kitchen  is  in  soup-making,  braising,  and 
the  like  processes.  In  these  nothing  takes  their  place.  They  are 
a  wholesome  esculent,  containing  no  starch,  eighty-nine  parts 
of  water,  four  and  a  fifth  of  sugar,  two  and  a  fifth  of  pectose  and 
gum,  two  and  one-third  of  cellulose,  and  one  of  mineral  matter. 

STEWED  CARROTS. 

Scrape  and  boil  whole  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  drain,  and  cut 
into  cubes  half  an  inch  square.  Have  ready  in  a  saucepan 
enough  weak  stock  to  cover  the  carrot-dice.  Put  them  on  in  it 
and  cook  twenty  minutes,  or  until  tender.  Add  then  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  milk,  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  cut  up  in  one  of 
flour,  salt  and  pepper  to  taste.  Simmer  five  minutes  and  serve. 

YOUNG  CARROTS  A  LA  PARISffiNNE. 

Boil  for  five  minutes;  take  up  and  rub  off  the  skins  with  a 
coarse  cloth.  Return  to  the  fire  and  cook  until  tender.  Slice 
lengthwise,  making  three  pieces  of  a  medium-sized  carrot,  two  of 
a  small.  Have  hot  in  a  frying-pan  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  for 
each  cupful  of  the  carrots,  and  when  it  bubbles  lay  in  the  slices. 
Sautt  on  both  sides,  quickly,  and  just  before  taking  them  up 
sprinkle  with  chopped  parsley.  Dish  dry ;  strew  over  them  a 
little  white  sugar,  pepper,  and  salt,  and  serve  very  hot. 

CREAMED  YOUNG  CARROTS. 

Scald  for  five  minutes  and  rub  off  the  skins  with  a  rough  cloth. 
Slice  crosswise  and  thin.  Heat  in  a  saucepan  a  tablespoonful  of 
butter,  two  of  hot  water,  salt  and  pepper  to  taste,  and  put  in  the 
sliced  carrots.  Cook  gently,  covered,  for  half  an  hour.  In 
another  saucepan  heat  four  tablespoonfuls  of  cream  and  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  chopped  parsley.  When  the  mixture  boils  take  from 


272  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

the  fire  and  pour  upon  the  beaten  yolks  of  two  eggs.     Stir  up 
well,  pour  over  the  carrots,  cook  one  scant  minute  and  dish. 
This  also  is  a  French  recipe. 

CREAMED  WINTER  CARROTS. 

Pare  and  boil  full-grown  carrots,  tender ;  let  them  get  cold, 
and  with  a  potato-gouge  cut  into  small  balls  like  marbles.  Make 
a  white  roux  of  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  heated  and  stirred 
smooth  with  one  of  flour,  thin  this  with  a  cupful  of  hot  milk,  season 
with  pepper  and  salt,  cook  one  minute,  and  add  the  carrot-balls. 
Cook  until  they  are  heated  through;  throw  in  a  little  minced 
parsley  and  serve. 

CARROTS  SAUTE. 

Pare  and  cut  into  small  cubes  or  dice.  There  should  be  two 
cupfuls  of  these.  Boil  in  hot,  salted  water  for  half  an  hour, 
drain,  and  cover  with  a  cupful  of  consomme  or  stock.  Cook, 
uncovered,  and  fast,  until  the  stock  has  evaporated,  but  not 
until  the  carrots  break  or  scorch.  Shake  gently  in  a  colander 
and  transfer  to  a  frying-pan  in  which  is  hissing  a  tablespoonful 
of  butter.  Shake  the  pan  gently  until  the  butter  reaches  all 
cubes  and  dish. 

The  carrots  will  be  savory  and  well  flavored. 

MASHED  CARROTS. 

Scrape,  wash,  cut  into  quarters,  and  lay  in  cold  water  for  half 
an  hour,  then  boil  tender  in  hot,  salted  water.  Drain,  rub 
through'  a  colander,  or  a  vegetable-press,  beat  in  a  good  bit  of 
butter,  pepper  and  salt  to  taste,  whip  light,  and  dish. 

GREEN  PEPPERS 

are  rapidly  growing  into  favor  with  progressive  housewives. 
They  should  be  full-grown  when  gathered,  but  not  at  all 
reddened.  In  cutting  them  be  careful  to  handle  the  seeds  as 
little  as  possible,  lest  you  pay  for  your  carelessness  with  sore  and 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  2/3 

burning  finger-tips.     Use  a  small  knife  or  a  stick  to  extract 
them.     When  they  are  out,  the  pepper  is  cool  and  sweet. 

FRIED  SWEET  PEPPERS. 

Cut  open  crosswise,  extract  the  seeds,  cut  the  peppers  into  slices, 
lay  in  cold  water  for  fifteen  minutes,  salt  slightly,  dust  with  flour 
and  fry  in  hot  cottolene  for  five  or  six  minutes.  They  are  an 
appetizing  accompaniment  to  cold  meat  or  to  boiled  fish. 

STUFFED  SWEET  PEPPERS. 

Make  an  incision  in  one  side,  and  extract  the  seeds  through 
this  with  a  bit  of  stick.  Stuff  with  a  force-meat  of  tongue, 
chicken,  ham,  or  veal,  mixed  up  with  boiled  rice,  and  seasoned 
with  salt,  a  dash  of  onion-juice,  and  a  little  butter.  Sew  up  the 
peppers  with  a  few  stitches,  pack  them  into  a  bake-dish,  pour  in 
enough  weak  stock  to  keep  them  from  burning,  cover  and  bake 
in  a  moderate  oven  for  an  hour,  then  dish,  withdrawing  the 
strings.  Keep  hot  while  you  add  to  the  gravy  in  the  dish  a 
tablespoonful  of  brown  roux.  Boil  up  once  and  pour  over  the 
peppers.  Should  the  gravy  have  boiled  away  too  much,  put  in 
a  little  boiling  water  to  thin  the  roux. 

This  is  a  Syrian  recipe  and  excellent. 

GREEN  PEPPERS  AU  GRATIN. 

Cut  the  stem -end  from  a  dozen  peppers  and  dig  out  the  seeds 
with  a  penknife  and  a  small  spoon.  Lay  the  peppers  in  cold 
water  for  half  an  hour.  Make  a  force-meat  of  half  a  cupful  of  cold 
boiled  rice  and  an  equal  quantity  of  cold  minced  chicken, 
seasoned  with  salt  and  butter  and  wet  with  tomato-juice.  Fill 
the  peppers  with  the  mixture,  heaping  it  up,  stand  them  on  end, 
close  together,  in  a  deep  dish,  leaving  off  the  stem-tops ;  fill  the 
interstices  with  the  force-meat  and  pour  a  good  tomato  sauce, 
thickened  with  drawn  butter,  into  the  dish,  leaving  the  upper  part 
of  the  peppers  visible;  sift  fine  crumbs  over  all,  stick  bits  of  but- 
ter here  and  there,  and  cook,  covered,  one  hour,  then  brown. 
Serve  in  the  bake-dish. 
18 


274  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

PEPPER  BASKETS. 

A  pretty  luncheon  dish  is  made  of  green  peppers.  Cut  a 
piece  from  the  blossom -end  of  each  and  shave  off  the  stem,  so 
that  it  will  stand  steadily  upon  a  plate.  Fill  with  hot  minced 
chicken  or  fish,  seasoned  with  a  mayonnaise  or  other  piquante 
dressing. 

SALSIFY,  OR  OYSTER-PLANT. 

SALSIFY  FRITTERS. 

One  bunch  of  salsify  ;  two  eggs  ;  half  a  cupful  of  milk  ;  flour 
for  thin  batter  ;  dripping  or  cottolene ;  salt  to  taste.  Scrape 
and  grate  the  roots,  and  stir  into  a  batter  made  of  the  beaten 
eggs,  the  milk,  and  flour.  Grate  the  salsify  directly  into  this, 
that  it  may  not  blacken  by  exposure  to  the  air.  Salt,  and  drop 
a  spoonful  into  the  hot  fat  to  see  if  it  is  of  the  right  consistency. 
As  fast  as  you  fry  the  fritters,  throw  into  a  hot  colander  to  drain. 
One  great  spoonful  of  batter  should  make  a  fritter. 

STEWED  SALSIFY. 

Scrape  a  bunch  of  salsify  and  drop  into  cold  water  as  you  cut 
it  into  inch  lengths.  Boil  in  hot,  salted  water  until  tender. 
Drain  this  off,  and  pour  into  the  saucepan  with  the  salsify  a  cupful 
of  hot  milk.  Simmer  five  minutes,  and  stir  in  a  tablespoonful 
of  butter  and  three  tablespoonfuls  of  cracker- dust,  with  pepper 
and  salt.  Stew  gently  for  three  minutes  and  dish. 

FRIED  SALSIFY. 

Scrape  and  cut  into  short  pieces,  dropping  them  into  cold 
water  as  you  go  on.  Boil  tender  in  salted  water,  drain,  and 
while  hot  mash  with  a  silver  or  wooden  spoon,  picking  out 
woody  bits  and  seasoning  with  salt,  pepper,  and  butter.  Let 
the  salsify  get  cold,  then  wet  with  milk  until  you  have  a  toler- 
ably thick  paste,  beat  in  a  whipped  egg  for  each  cupful  of 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  2?$ 

paste  ;  make  with  floured  hands  into  round,  flat  cakes,  flour,  and 
fry  in  hot  fat  to  a  light  brown.  Serve  hot.  They  taste  some- 
what like  fried  oysters. 

SALSIFY  SAUTE. 

Scrape  and  boil  as  above  directed,  drain  dry ;  cut  the  roots 
into  pieces  two  inches  long  ;  heat  two  tablespoon fuls  of  butter 
in  a  frying-pan,  with  a  little  pepper  and  salt,  and  put  in  the  sal- 
sify. Shake  and  toss  for  three  minutes,  but  do  not  let  the  salsify 
burn.  Serve  dry  and  hot. 


PARSNIPS. 

The  parsnip  is  nutritious,  containing  less  water  and  more 
sugar  and  fat  than  the  carrot,  but  the  odd  faint  sweetness,  com- 
bined with  a  peculiar  "  tang  "  of  flavoring,  makes  it  unpleasant 
to  many  people.  The  same  qualities  make  it  ineligible  for  sea- 
soning in  combination  with  other  vegetables.  If  used  in  soup 
or  sauce  it  asserts  itself  disagreeably. 

BUTTERED  PARSNIPS. 

Boil  tender  and  scrape.  Slice  lengthwise  and  saute  in  a  little 
butter  heated  in  a  frying-pan  and  seasoned  with  pepper,  salt,  and 
minced  parsley.  Shake  and  turn  until  the  parsnips  are  well 
coated  and  hot  through.  Dish,  and  pour  the  butter  over  them. 

FRIED  PARSNIPS. 

Boil  tender  in  salted,  hot  water ;  let  them  get  cold,  scrape  off 
the  skin  and  slice  lengthwise.  Pepper  and  salt,  dredge  with 
flour,  and  fry  in  hot  dripping  to  a  light  brown.  Drain  and 
serve. 

PARSNIP   CAKES. 

Wash,  boil,  and  scrape  the  parsnips  tender.  While  hot  mash, 
season  with  salt  and  pepper,  and  make  with  floured  hands  into 
small,  flat  cakes.  Flour  well  and  fry  in  clarified  dripping. 


276  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


CREAMED  PARSNIPS, 

Boil,  scrape,  and  slice  crosswise.  Heat  a  tablespoonful  of  but- 
ter in  a  saucepan ;  put  in  the  parsnips  and  shake  and  turn  until 
all  are  coated  with  the  butter  and  very  hot.  Turn  them  into  a 
deep  dish  and  pour  over  them  a  sauce  made  by  adding  to  the 
butter  left  in  the  saucepan  a  teaspoonful  of  flour  and  thinning  it 
with  three  or  four  tablespoonfuls  of  hot  cream.  Boil  up  once, 
and  when  you  have  covered  the  parsnips  with  it,  serve. 


TURNIPS, 

We  hardly  need  the  testimony  of  our  dietetist  and  chemist  to 
inform  us  that  "  the  turnip  is  very  watery  and  contains  but  little 
nourishment,"  but  it  may  interest  those  who  depend  upon  it  to 
build  up  the  system,  to  learn  that  "turnips  contain  no  more 
than  one-half  per  cent,  of  flesh-formers  instead  of  the  one  per 
cent,  formerly  assigned  to  them."  Those  who  are  studying  anti- 
fat  foods  may  get  a  hint  from  the  quotation. 

YOUNG  TURNIPS. 

Peel  and  quarter.  Cook  half  an  hour,  or  until  tender,  but 
not  broken,  in  boiling,  salted  water.  Drain,  still  without  break- 
ing, and  dish.  Sprinkle  with  pepper  and  salt,  then  butter 
plentifully  and  serve. 

Turnips  must  be  served  hot,  or  they  are  not  fit  to  eat. 

YOUNG   TURNIPS    (STEWED). 

Peel  and  quarter,  or  slice.  Boil  fifteen  minutes  in  hot,  salted 
water,  drain  and  cover  with  a  cupful  of  milk  that  has  been 
heated  in  a  separate  vessel  with  a  tiny  bit  of  soda.  When  they 
simmer  again  stir  in  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  rolled  in  half  as 
much  flour,  pepper  and  salt  to  taste,  and  stew  gently  fifteen  min- 
utes more.  Serve  in  a  deep,  covered  dish,  and  very  hot. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 


YOUNG  TURNIPS  (FRIED). 

Pare  and  slice  crosswise  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick.  Lay  in 
ice-cold  water  half  an  hour,  then  cook  tender,  but  not  too  soft, 
in  boiling  water  without  salt.  Drain,  lay  upon  a  soft  cloth  until 
dry  and  lukewarm,  sprinkle  with  pepper  and  salt,  flour,  and  fry 
in  hot  cottolene. 

Or— 

Dip  in  beaten  egg,  then  in  cracker-dust,  and  fry. 

MASHED  TURNIPS. 

Boil  tender,  drain,  and  mash  in  a  colander,  to  get  rid  of  the 
superfluous  water  ;  turn  into  a  saucepan  and  stir  until  smoking-hot, 
when  pepper,  salt,  and  stir  in  a  roux  of  a  tablespoonful  of  butter, 
heated,  then  stirred  smooth  with  one  of  flour.  Heat  and  toss 
one  minute  longer,  and  serve  very  hot. 

PUREE  OF  TURNIPS. 

Pare,  slice,  and  cook  tender  in  hot,  salted  water.  Rub 
through  a  colander  into  a  saucepan,  stir  into  it  a  roux,  as  in  the 
last  recipe,  pepper  and  salt,  and  add  at  the  last  a  half  cupful  of 
hot  cream  in  which  has  been  dissolved  a  bit  of  soda.  Take  from 
the  fire  when  it  has  boiled  up  once,  and  beat  in  a  frothed  egg. 
After  this  it  must  not  boil,  but  be  set  in  boiling  water  for  five 
minutes,  stirring  up  well  now  and  then.  Some  people  think  this 
savory  accompaniment  of  boiled  mutton  improved  by  a  few  drops 
of  onion-juice. 

TURNIPS  AND  CARROTS  A  LA  PARISffiNNE. 

Cut  both  vegetables  into  small  balls  like  marbles  with  a 
potato-gouge.  Boil  the  balls  tender,  the  carrots  in  one  saucepan, 
the  turnips  in  another,  drain  and  mix  them  in  a  deep  dish. 
Salt,  pepper,  and  butter  them  well,  or,  if  you  like,  cover  them 
with  a  good  white  sauce. 


278  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 


ARTICHOKES* 

"  They  have  a  delicate  flavor  and  agreeable  texture,  but  con- 
tain little  nutritive  matter,"  says  our  Food  Manual.  Which  said 
agreeable  texture  and  delicate  flavor  are  appreciated  by  educated 
palates.  To  others,  both  are  obnoxious,  and  much  practice  is 
required  to  learn  to  relish  the  dainty.  For  dainty  it  is  esteemed 
here  as  abroad,  where  it  has  long  been  in  favor. 

Familiarity  with  English,  French,  and  Italian  menus  has  made 
the  artichokes  a  fashionable  entree  at  dinners  and  luncheons. 
Sometimes,  if  large  and  fine,  they  command  fifty  cents  each  in 
the  New  York  markets. 

BOILED  ARTICHOKES. 

Pare  off  the  stems  and  the  lower  and  coarser  leaves.  With  a 
sharp  knife  trim  the  tops  evenly,  and  take  out  the  hard  core. 
Wash  and  lay  in  cold  water  ten  minutes.  Shake  off  the  wet  and 
cook  in  boiling,  salted  water  for  thirty-five  minutes,  or  until  the 
bottoms  are  tender.  If  large,  cut  into  halves ;  if  of  moderate  size, 
serve  whole  with  drawn  butter  or  sauce  piquante  poured  over 
them. 

FRIED  ARTICHOKES. 

The  part  to  be  cooked  in  this  way  is  known  as  the  fond  in 
French,  in  English  as  the  "  bottom." 

Cut  off  the  stalk  leaves  and  scrape  away  the  woolly  "  fuzz  " 
that  covers  the  stalk.  Boil  tender  in  salted  water  ;  drain  and  let 
them  get  cold,  and  dry.  Make  a  batter  of  four  tablespoon fuls  of 
flour  in  which  have  been  sifted  a  saltspoonful  of  salt  and  the  same 
quantity  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder,  an  egg  and  three  table- 
spoonfuls  of  milk.  Salt  and  pepper  the  artichokes,  dip  into 
the  batter,  and  fry  in  hot,  deep  cottolene.  Serve  dry  and 
hot. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  279 


BANANAS. 

A  ripe  banana  "  is  a  nutritious  food,  containing  less  water  and 
more  nitrogenous  matter  than  is  commonly  found  in  fresh  fruits," 
is  the  dictum  of  our  expert.  This  is  especially  true  of  the  large 
red  bananas,  now,  unfortunately,  comparatively  rare  in  our  mar- 
kets by  comparison  with  the  flood  of  the  small  yellow  fruit  best 
known  under  the  same  name.  In  reality  the  yellow  imitations  are 
plantains,  and  far  inferior  to  those  whose  title  they  have  stolen. 
The  recipes  given  herewith  will  apply  to  both  kinds  of  bananas. 
The  yellow  (or  plantain)  is  bettered  by  cooking,  being  much 
less  wholesome  raw  than  the  more  luscious  red. 

FRIED  BANANAS. 

Strip  off  the  skins  ;  cut  each  banana  (or  plantain)  into  three 
slices,  and  flour  well.  Saute  in  hot  butter  in  a  frying-pan,  or  fry 
in  deep  fat.  Drain  dry  and  serve  hot. 

Or— 

Roll  in  egg,  then  in  cracker-dust;  set  on  ice  for  one  hour  and 
fry  in  hot,  deep  cottolene. 

BANANA  CROQUETTES. 

For  this  purpose  select  small,  yellow  bananas  (or  plantains)  ; 
strip  off  the  skins  and  cut  off  the  ends,  so  as  to  make  them  look 
like  croquettes ;  pepper  and  salt,  roll  in  egg,  then  in  cracker- 
crumbs,  set  on  the  ice  for  one  hour  to  stiffen  them,  and  fry 
in  hot,  deep  cottolene  to  a  golden  brown.  Serve  dry  and  hot. 
They  should  accompany  chicken  or  lamb,  being  a  delicate 
yet  piquante  vegetable,  and  unfit  to  attend  roast  beef  or  other 
heavy  meats. 

BAKED  BANANAS. 

Tear  down  a  narrow  strip  from  each,  and  lay  them,  the  torn 
side  upward,  in  a  baking-pan.  Cover  and  cook  about  half  an 


28O  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

hour.     Pare  carefully  and  send  to  table  with  hot  cream,  in  which 
has  been  melted  a  little  butter,  poured  over  them. 


CELERY* 

Besides  the  aromatic  taste  and  smell  that  have  brought  this 
vegetable  into  universal  favor  in  less  than  three  quarters  of  a 
century,  celery  has  a  distinct  value  as  a  nervine,  and  as  such  is 
prescribed  in  certain  cases  as  an  article  of  diet  by  our  best  physi- 
cians. The  nutrient  value  is  low — but  it  is  very  nice. 

CREAMED  CELERY. 

Cut  into  inch-long  pieces.  Cook  tender  in  boiling,  salted 
water,  drain  this  off,  and  cover  with  a  cupful  of  hot  milk  (half 
cream,  if  you  have  it)  in  which  has  been  stirred  a  tablespoonful 
of  white  roux.  Simmer  five  minutes  and  serve. 

SAVORY  CELERY. 

Select  the  whitest  and  tenderest  stalks  and  lay  aside  in  ice- 
water.  Cut  the  outer,  coarser  stalks  into  three- inch  lengths,  and 
stew  in  a  cupful  of  stock,  seasoned  with  a  half  teaspoonful  of 
onion-juice,  salt,  pepper,  and  parsley.  Cook,  covered,  for  an 
hour,  slowly.  Drain  and  press  in  a  colander.  Return  the  stock 
to  the  fire,  and  when  it  boils  put  the  reserved  stalks,  also  cut  into 
short  lengths,  into  it.  Cook  gently  until  tender,  thicken  with  a 
good  spoonful  of  roux,  boil  up  and  serve. 

CELERY  STEWED  WHOLE. 

Cut  off  the  coarse,  green  stalks  and  lop  the  tops  of  the  choicer 
to  within  five  or  six  inches  of  the  roots.  Trim  and  scrape  the 
roots,  removing  all  rusty  parts  from  these  and  the  stalks.  Parboil 
for  ten  minutes  in  hot,  salted  water.  Drain  the  heads  of  celery 
and  let  them  lie  upon  a  soft  cloth  for  fifteen  minutes.  Have 
ready  in  a  saucepan  enough  stock  or  consomme  to  cover  the 
celery  heads  and  put  these  into  it,  taking  care  not  to  break  them. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  28 1 

Stew  slowly  for  twenty-five  minutes,  or  until  tender.  Transfer 
the  celery  to  a  hot  dish,  thicken  the  stock  left  in  the  saucepan 
with  browned  roux,  boil  one  minute  and  strain  over  the  celery. 

FRIED  CELERY. 

Scrape,  wash,  and  cut  the  stalks  into  pieces  four  or  five  inches 
long.  Cook  tender  in  boiling,  salted  water.  Drain,  and  spread 
out  to  dry  and  stiffen  in  a  cold  place.  When  firm,  dip  into  a 
batter  made  of  half  a  cupful  of  flour  sifted  twice  with  a  saltspoon- 
ful  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder  and  the  same  of  salt,  and  wet 
up  with  a  beaten  egg  and  enough  milk  to  make  the  batter 
manageable.  Fry  to  a  pale  brown  in  hot  cottolene.  Dish  and 
serve  with  a  sauce  piquante. 

CELERY  AU  GRATIN. 

Cut  into  inch  lengths  the  best  parts  of  two  bunches  of  celery, 
and  cook  tender  in  boiling,  salted  water.  Drain,  return  to  the 
saucepan,  and  cover  with  a  cupful  of  hot  milk  in  which  has 
been  mixed  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  rolled  in  one  of  flour. 
Season  with  paprica  and  salt,  simmer  three  minutes,  and  pour 
into  a  bowl  to  cool.  Butter  a  pudding-dish,  and  cover  the 
bottom  thickly  with  fine  crumbs.  When  the  stewed  celery  is 
cold,  beat  into  it  two  well-frothed  eggs  and  pour  into  the  dish. 
Strew  crumbs  thickly  over  it,  sticking  dots  of  butter  here  and 
there,  cover  and  cook  half  an  hour  in  a  good  oven,  then  brown. 
Serve  in  the  pudding-dish. 

HOMINY. 

Indian  corn  is  richer  than  rice  in  "  flesh-formers,"  and  con- 
tains more  fat.  As  a  diet  it  is  decidedly  laxative,  a  circumstance 
which  lends  it  value  in  winter,  and  which  should  make  mothers 
wary  in  the  use  of  it  in  hot  weather.  In  the  form  of  hominy  it 
plays  an  important  part  in  menus  in  our  Southern  and  Western 
States,  and  as  polenta  is  the  chief  diet  of  the  Italian  peasants. 
Nor  is  it  lightly  esteemed  by  the  better  classes  in  Southern 


282  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

Europe.  Various  dishes  of  which  it  is  the  base  are  found  upon 
fashionable  hotel  tables  in  those  countries,  and  might  be  intro- 
duced to  our  advantage  and  pleasure  in  the  United  States. 

BOILED  HOMINY  (LARGE). 

•  The  large  hominy,  called  "samp  "  at  the  North,  is  served, 
boiled,  as  a  vegetable. 

Soak  in  cold  water  overnight.  In  the  morning  put  over  the 
fire  in  cold,  salted  water  and  cook  until  swollen  and  tender.  It 
will  require  at  least  three  hours.  Put  plenty  of  water  into  the 
pot  to  allow  for  swelling.  Drain,  pepper,  salt,  and  stir  in  a  great 
lump  of  butter. 

BROWNED  HOMINY  (LARGE). 

Put  a  good  spoonful  of  dripping  in  a  frying-pan  and  turn  into 
it  cold  boiled  hominy,  well  seasoned.  Shake  the  pan  occasion- 
ally to  prevent  sticking,  and  when  the  lower  surface  is  lightly 
browned,  invert  the  pan  over  a  hot  platter. 

BAKED  HOMINY  (SMALL). 

Work  a  tablespoonful  of  melted  butter  into  a  cupful  of  cold 
boiled  hominy  until  the  latter  is  smooth  and  free  from  lumps. 
Then  work  in  the  yolks  of  two  beaten  eggs,  and  when  they 
are  well  mixed  with  the  hominy,  a  teaspoonful  of  sugar  and 
half  as  much  salt.  Having  now  a  thick,  smooth  paste,  begin 
to  thin  it  with  two  cupfuls  of  milk.  Whip  it  in  gradually,  and, 
lastly,  beat  in  with  swift,  upward  strokes  the  stiffened  whites  of 
the  eggs.  Pour  into  a  well-greased  pudding-dish,  and  bake,  cov- 
ered, half  an  hour,  then  brown.  Serve  in  the  dish.  It  will  be 
found  almost  as  delicious  as  green-corn  pudding,  and  a  wel- 
come addition  to  your  winter  bill-of-fare. 

HOMINY  AND  MEAT  CROQUETTES. 

Into  one  cupful  of  cold  boiled  hominy,  seasoned  with  salt, 
pepper,  and,  should  you  fancy  it,  a  few  drops  of  onion-juice,  work" 
an  equal  quantity  of  minced  ham,  lamb,  veal,  or  chicken. 


THE   NATIONAL   COOK  ROOK  283 

Moisten  it  with  half  a  cupful  of  hot  stock,  add  two  beaten  eggs  ; 
stir  over  the  fire  in  a  shallow  saucepan  until  smoking-hot  and 
set  away  to  cool.  When  cold  and  stiff  make  into  croquettes, 
with  floured  hands,  roll  in  egg,  then  in  crumbs,  and  fry  in  hot, 
deep  cottolene  to  a  fine  brown. 

HOMINY  CROQUETTES  (PLAIN). 

Two  cupfuls  of  fine  hominy,  boiled  and  cold,  two  beaten  eggs, 
one  tablespoonful  of  melted  butter,  salt  to  taste,  one  teaspoonful 
of  sugar.  Work  the  butter  into  the  hominy  until  the  latter  is 
smooth,  then  the  eggs,  salt,  and  sugar.  Beat  hard  with  a 
wooden  spoon  to  get  out  lumps  and  mix  well.  Make  into  oval 
balls  with  floured  hands.  Roll  each  in  flour,  and  fry  in  sweet 
dripping  or  lard,  putting  in  a  few  at  a  time  and  turning  them 
over  with  care  as  they  brown.  Drain  in  a  hot  colander. 

FREED  HOMINY  (SMALL). 

Boil  hominy  after  soaking  it  for  several  hours,  and  when  done 
season  with  salt  and  a  little  butter.  Turn  into  small  greased 
pate-pans  to  get  cold,  or  upon  a  large  platter.  If  you  mould  it 
in  the  pate-pans,  turn  out  when  stiff  and  cold,  dip  in  egg  and 
cracker-crumbs,  and  fry  in  hot,  deep  cottolene.  If  upon  the 
platter,  cut  into  small  squares  when  cold  and  treat  in  the  same 
way. 

Squares  of  fried  hominy  are  much  used  to  lay  under  small 
game-birds  and  for  garnishing  larger  game. 

POLENTA 

is,  strictly  speaking,  only  boiled  mush  made  of  fine,  yellow 
corn-meal.  It  is  ground  as  fine  as  flour,  and  prepared  for  the 
table  precisely  as  mush  would  be. 

For  a  scant  cupful  of  the  corn-flour  allow  a  quart,  at  least,  of 
boiling,  salted  water.  Stir  in  the  meal,  a  little  at  a  time,  stir- 
ring all  the  while  with  the  other  hand,  and  continuing  to  use  the 
spoon  for  five  minutes  and  more  after  it  is  all  in.  Boil,  stirring 


284  THE   NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

often,  for  half  an  hour,  turn  out  upon  a  platter  to  cool,  and 
when  stiff  cut  into  squares  or  strips.  Roll  these  in  raw  meal  and 
fry  in  hot  cottolene,  or  in  salad  oil,  and  send  around  with  meat. 

SAVORY  POLENTA  A  LTTALIENNE. 

While  boiling,  add  a  large  spoonful  of  butter  for  a  cupful  of  the 
raw  meal,  and  a  little  later  two  tablespoonfuls  of  grated  cheese, 
then  cook  twenty  minutes  longer.  Let  it  get  cold,  cut  out  with 
a  round  cutter,  arrange  these  upon  a  buttered  baking-pan,  grate 
Parmesan  cheese  over  them,  dot  with  specks  of  butter,  and 
sprinkle  with  paprica.  Bake  in  a  quick  oven  until  lightly 
browned,  and  pass  tomato  sauce  or  a  good  brown  gravy  with 
them. 

In  Italy  we  ate  this  dish  under  the  name  of  gniocchi.  Polenta 
is  also  made  of  chestnut-flour. 


MUSHROOMS. 

One  of  the  latest,  and  certainly  the  most  charming,  of  the  la- 
mented W.  Hamilton  Gibson's  works  is  Our  Edible  Toadstools 
and  Mushrooms,  and  How  to  Distinguish  Them.  The  only  re- 
gret of  the  reader,  who  is  also  the  owner,  of  the  superb  volume  is 
that  a  cheaper  edition  does  not  put  it  within  the  reach  of  every 
caterer  and  housewife. 

The  page  facing  the  Introduction  is  exquisitely  illustrated  by 
a  collection  of  American  mushrooms,  and  within  the  oval  they  en- 
close is  an  extract  from  the  works  of  a  celebrated  English  natu- 
ralist and  botanist.  Under  the  caption,  The  Spurned  Har- 
vest, we  read — "  Whole  hundred- weights  of  rich,  wholesome 
diet  rotting  under  the  trees  ;  woods  teeming  with  food,  and  not 
one  hand  to  gather  it ;  and  this,  perhaps,  in  the  midst  of  poverty 
and  all  manner  of  privations  and  public  prayers  against  imminent 
famine. ' ' 

A  few  pages  beyond  this  lament  Mr.  Gibson  breaks  forth  with 
— "  What  a  plenteous,  spontaneous  harvest  of  delicious  feasting 


THE   NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  285 

annually  goes  begging  in  our  woods  and  fields  !  "  And  again — 
"  Gastronomically  considered,  the  flesh  of  the  mushroom  has 
been  proven  to  be  almost  identical  with  meat,  and  possesses  the 
same  nourishing  properties." 

A  passing  reference  to  our  gastronomic  chemist  corroborates 
this  statement :  "  Mushrooms  are  highly  nitrogenous.  Some 
kinds  contain  much  fat  or  oil." 

And  yet  both  of  our  authors  frankly  admit  the  danger  of 
amateur  work  in  the  selection  and  harvesting  of  the  rich,  deli- 
cious edible.  Mr.  Gibson's  introductory  chapter  sets  this  before 
us  so  graphically  that  we  are  inevitably  reminded  of  the  heedless 
Syrian  who  "went  out  into  the  fields  to  gather  herbs  and 
gathered  wild  gourds  his  lapful  and  came  and  shred  them  into 
the  pot  of  pottage,  and  as  they  were  eating  of  the  pottage  one 
cried  out,  and  said — '  O,  thou  man  of  God,  there  is  death  in 
the  pot!  '  " 

Elisha  neutralized  the  poison  with  a  handful  of  meal.  Mr. 
Gibson  indicates  atropine  injected  hypodermically,  "  the  treat- 
ment to  be  repeated  every  half  hour  until  one-twentieth  of  a  grain 
has  been  given,  or  the  patient's  life  saved." 

And  yet  (again)  the  rules  laid  down  by  our  enchanting  author 
for  distinguishing  the  harmful  from  the  wholesome  fungi  would 
seem  to  be  an  effectual  guard  against  the  catastrophe  pre-figured 
by  the  death's-head  introduced  into  the  frontispiece  of  "  The 
Deadly  Amanita."  His  "  Rules  for  the  Venturesome  "  are  clear 
and  emphatic. 

1.  Avoid  every  mushroom  having  a  cup  or  suggestion  of  such 
at  base.     The  distinctly  fatal  poisons  are  thus  excluded. 

2.  Exclude  those  having  an  unpleasant  odor,  a  peppery,  bitter, 
or  other  unpalatable  flavor,  or  tough  consistency. 

3.  Exclude  those  infested  with  worms  or  in  advanced  age  or 
decay. 

4.  In   testing  others  which  will  pass  the  above  probation,  let 
the  specimen  be  kept  by  itself,  not  in  contact  with,  or  enclosed 
in  the  same  basket  with  other  species. 

He  lays  especial  stress  upon  the  danger-signal  of  the  "poison- 


286  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

cup,"  which  "  may  be  taken  as  the  cautionary  symbol  of  the 
genus  Amanita  common  to  all  the  species.  Any  mushroom  or 
toadstool,  therefore,  whose  stem  is  thus  set  in  a  socket,  or  which 
has  any  suggestion  of  such  a  socket  should  be  labelled  '  poison.' 
But  the  cup  must  be  sought  for." 

A  secondary  "sign"  is  the  "veil  which  in  the  young  mush- 
room originally  connected  the  edge  of  the  cup  or  pileus  with  the 
stem  and  whose  gradual  rupture  necessarily  follows  the  expansion 
of  the  cup  until  a  mere  frill  or  ring  is  left  about  the  stem  at  the 
original  point  of  contact."  This  sign  is  sometimes  found  in 
edible  mushrooms,  and  is  therefore  only  ominous  when  coupled 
with  the  poison-cup  at  the  base  of  the  stem. 

We  offer  no  apology  for  much  dwelling  upon  the  possible  peril 
of  indiscriminate  mushroom  gathering  nor  for  a  last  extract  from 
our  author's  introduction,  which  should  reassure  the  excessively 
timid. 

"  Of  the  forty  odd  species  which  the  writer  enjoys  with  more 
or  less  frequency  at  his  table,  he  is  satisfied  that  he  can  select  at 
least  thirty  which  possess  such  distinct  and  strongly  marked 
characters  of  form,  structure,  and  other  special  qualities  as  to 
enable  them  by  the  aid  of  careful  portraiture  and  brief  descrip- 
tion to  be  easily  recognized,  even  by  a  tyro." 

It  is  a  pity,  as  the  most  thoughtless  student  of  this  subject  must 
admit,  that  one  of  the  most  delicious  viands  served  upon  the 
table  of  the  rich  epicure  and  which  might  grace  the  cotter's 
board  every  day  in  the  week  if  he  would  take  the  trouble  to 
gather  it,  should  be  practically  excluded  from  home  bills-of-fare 
from  one  end  of  the  country  to  the  other,  through  ignorance  of 
such  simple  tests  as  a  child  might  master  after  a  few  lessons. 

BROILED  MUSHROOMS.    (No.  J.) 

This  is  the  simplest  and,  in  the  opinion  of  many  epicures,  the 
best  way  of  preparing  this  delicacy  for  the  table,  since  the  flavor 
of  the  mushrooms  is  not  marred  by  sauces  or  stewing. 

Stem  and  peel,  when  you  have  washed  half  a  pound  of  mush- 
rooms, and  lay  them,  gills  downward,  upon  an  oyster-broiler 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  287 

over  clear  coals.  Cook  for  two  or  three  minutes,  turn,  and  broil 
the  other  side.  Serve  upon  thin  squares  of  lightly  toasted  bread, 
buttered ;  sprinkle  with  salt  and  pepper,  butter,  and  serve,  very 
hot. 

BROILED  MUSHROOMS.    (No.  2.) 

Cut  off  the  stalks,  wash,  peel,  and  dry  the  mushrooms  tenderly 
upon  a  soft  cloth.  Baste  with  melted,  not  hot,  butter,  and  set  on 
the  ice  for  fifteen  minutes ;  then  broil  upon  an  oyster-broiler, 
five  minutes  on  one  side  and  the  same  upon  the  other.  Lay  upon 
rounds  of  delicately  toasted  bread ;  pepper  and  salt  j  put  upon 
each  a  bit  of  butter  which  has  been  beaten  to  a  cream  with 
lemon-juice ;  cover  and  serve  hot. 

BROILED  MUSHROOMS  AND  BACON. 

Cut  off  the  stalks,  wash,  and  peel  half  a  pound  of  mushrooms, 
and  broil  as  directed  in  "  Broiled  Mushrooms,  No.  i,"  two  min- 
utes on  each  side.  Lay  upon  the  buttered  toast,  set  the  platter 
containing  them  upon  a  pan  of  hot  water  on  the  range,  and 
broil  close  beside  it  thin  slices  of  fat  breakfast-bacon.  As  they 
drip,  hold  them  quickly  above  the  mushrooms,  letting  every  drop 
of  fat  fall  upon  them  and  the  toast. 

They  will  be  found  very  savory. 

FRIED  MUSHROOMS. 

Cut  off  the  stalks,  wash,  peel,  and  dry  half  a  pound  of  mush- 
rooms. Heat  a  great  spoonful  of  butter  in  a  frying-pan,  and 
when  it  hisses  lay  in  the  mushrooms,  and  fry  three  minutes  on 
each  side.  Serve  upon  rounds  of  lightly  toasted  and  buttered 
bread,  dust  with  salt  and  pepper,  put  a  bit  of  butter  on  each  and 
serve. 

FRIED  MUSHROOMS  AU  MAITRE  IXHOTEL. 

Fry  as  directed  in  the  foregoing  recipe,  but  when  they  are 
served  put  upon  them,  instead  of  butter,  a  mixture  of  butter 
beaten  light  with  lemon -juice  and  a  tablespoonful  of  very  finely 
chopped  parsley. 


288  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


FRIED  MUSHROOMS  AND  BACON. 

Lay  five  or  six  thin  slices  of  the  best  breakfast-bacon  you  can 
get  in  a  hot  frying-pan.  When  clear  and  beginning  to  curl  at  the 
edges  transfer  to  a  hot  dish,  and  fry  half  a  pound  of  mushrooms, 
stemmed,  washed,  and  peeled,  in  the  fat  left  in  the  pan.  Serve 
upon  toast,  salt  and  pepper  them,  and  garnish  with  the  bacon. 


MUSHROOM  CUPS. 

Select  six  or  eight  large  mushrooms  which  are  well  curved 
and  firm.  Stem,  wash,  peel,  and  wipe  them  with  care.  Have 
ready  a  good  force-meat  of  finely  minced  mushrooms  and  crumbs, 
moistened  with  a  little  chicken-  or  veal-stock,  and  seasoned  with 
salt  and  pepper.  Fill  the  inverted  mushrooms  with  this  mixture, 
mounding  it  smoothly  with  a  bit  of  butter  upon  each ;  put  a 
very  little  butter  into  a  bake-dish  and  set  the  mushrooms  close 
together, "stuffed  sides  upward  in  the  dish.  Cover  closely,  and 
bake  fifteen  minutes  in  a  hot  oven,  or  until  the  "cups"  and 
contents  are  steaming  hot. 

Serve  upon  buttered  toast,  and  pour  a  Bechamel  sauce  for  meat 
over  them. 

They  will  give  universal  satisfaction. 

BAKED  MUSHROOMS  (PLAIN). 

Stem,  wash,  and  peel  the  mushrooms,  carefully  preserving 
their  shape.  Cover  the  bottom  of  a  greased  pie-plate  or  a  bake- 
dish  with  rounds  of  thin,  delicately  toasted  bread,  well  buttered  ; 
lay  the  mushrooms,  gills  upward,  upon  the  toast,  dust  with  salt 
and  pepper ;  cover  closely  and  bake  from  fifteen  to  twenty  min- 
utes in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  mushrooms.  Butter  them, 
remove  with  the  toast  to  a  hot  platter,  and  serve. 

If  you  like  a  suspicion  of  garlic,  rub  the  hot  bake-dish  with  a 
cut  clove  of  garlic  before  laying  in  the  toast.  The  flavor  will 
be  faint  but  exquisitely  appetizing. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  289 

MUSHROOMS  AU  GRATIN. 

Prepare  as  you  would  Mushroom  Cups,  but  set  the  mush- 
rooms, when  filled,  in  a  pudding-dish  ;  fill  the  interstices  with 
the  force-meat,  sprinkle  fine  crumbs  over  all ;  pour  in  four  table- 
spoonfuls  of  cream;  stick  butter-bits  upon  the  surface,  dust  with 
pepper  and  salt,  and  bake,  covered,  in  a  hot  oven,  fifteen  min- 
utes. Brown  lightly  and  serve  in  the  bake-dish. 

CREAMED  MUSHROOMS. 

Stem,  wash,  and  peel  half  a  pound  of  small  mushrooms. 
Have  ready  in  a  saucepan  of  porcelain  or  agate-iron  half  a  cupful 
of  boiling  water,  and  as  much  milk,  slightly  salted.  Put  in  the 
mushrooms  and  cook  gently  ten  minutes.  Now  add  a  cupful  of 
cream  or  rich  milk  which  has  been  treated  with  a  bit  of  soda, 
then  thickened  with  a  white  roux  of  butter  and  a  little  flour,  and 
seasoned  with  salt,  a  dust  of  cayenne,  and  a  good  pinch  of 
ground  mace.  Simmer  all  together  for  three  minutes  and  serve 
in  a  deep,  covered  dish. 

MUSHROOMS  STEWED  IN  WINE. 

Stew,  wash,  and  peel  a  pint  of  small  fresh  mushrooms.  Put 
them  over  the  fire  with  just  enough  slightly  salted  boiling  water 
to  cover  them,  and  cook  gently  for  five  minutes.  Add  a  heap- 
ing teaspoonful  of  butter  and,  when  it  has  melted,  half  a  cupful 
of  good  red  wine  (claret  of  excellent  quality  will  do),  season  with 
a  little  mace  and  less  cayenne,  cover,  and  bring  the  stew  to  a 
boil.  Have  ready  upon  a  hot  platter  the  sliced  yolks  of  six 
hard-boiled  eggs ;  pour  the  stew  over  them,  and  garnish  with 
broiled  or  fried  mushrooms. 

An  elegant  dinner  or  luncheon  entree. 

SCALLOPED  MUSHROOMS. 

Stem,  peel,  and  wash  a  pint  of  fresh  mushrooms  or  a  can  of 
champignons,  and  cook  five  minutes  in  just  enough  boiling,  salted 
19 


290  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

water  to  cover  them.  Drain,  and  keep  hot  over  boiling  water. 
Make  a  white  roux  of  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  and  one  of  flour 
stirred  smooth  in  a  saucepan,  and  thin  with  half  a  cupful  of  hot 
cream  or  rich  milk  (not  omitting  a  pinch  of  soda).  When  it 
thickens,  stir  in  the  mushrooms,  add  a  dash  of  cayenne,  the 
same  of  nutmeg,  and  a  little  salt,  and  bring  to  a  boil. 

Fill  pate-pans  or  scallop-shells  or  nappies  with  the  mixture, 
cover  with  fine  crumbs,  dot  with  butter,  and  bake  to  a  light 
brown. 

MUSHROOMS  AUX  FINES  HERBES. 

The  round  mushroom,  vulgarly  known  as  "  a  puff-ball  "  and, 
when  old,  as  "  the  devil's  snuff-box,"  is  best  for  this  dish.  They 
must  be  gathered  in  their  early  prime  and  eaten  as  soon  as  cooked. 

Wash  and  peel,  slice,  dip  in  beaten  egg,  then  in  a  mixture  of 
parsley,  a  little  thyme,  summer  savory,  chopped  very  fine,  and 
wet  with  onion-juice.  The  mushrooms  should  be  thickly  coated 
with  the  green  bits.  Fry  in  hot  butter,  a  few  at  a  time,  and 
dish  upon  buttered  toast. 

MUSHROOMS  AND  SCRAMBLED  EGGS, 

Scramble  six  eggs  soft  with  a  tablespoonful  of  cream,  turn 
upon  a  hot  platter,  sprinkle  with  salt,  paprica,  and  finely  minced 
parsley,  and  cover  with  broiled  mushrooms. 


MUSHROOMS  AND  SHIRRED  EGGS. 

Stem,  wash,  peel,  and  slice  a  pint  of  mushrooms,  and  stew  for 
five  minutes  in  boiling  milk  and  water,  and  a  little  salt.  There 
should  be  just  enough  liquid  to  keep  them  from  burning.  Take 
from  the  fire,  stir  in  a  tablespoonful  of  white  roux,  and  when 
somewhat  cool,  but  still  smoking,  beat  in  the  yolk  of  a  raw  egg, 
season  with  pepper,  salt,  and  a  few  drops  of  onion-juice,  and 
with  the  mixture  fill  nappies  or  pate-pans  three-quarters  of  the 
way  to  the  top.  Break  a  fresh  egg  upon  the  creamy  bed, 
sprinkle  thickly  with  bread-crumbs,  dot  with  butter,  salt  and 


THE   NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  2QI 

pepper  at  discretion,  and  bake    in  a  shallow  pan  of  hot  water. 
Eight  minutes  should  be  enough  if  the  oven  be  quick. 

CHESTNUT  ROULETTES. 

Boil  a  quart  of  Spanish  chestnuts.  Take  off  the  shells  while 
they  are  hot,  skin,  and  rub  them  through  a  colander,  or  put 
them  through  a  vegetable-press.  Work  into  them  a  great  spoon- 
ful of  butter,  salt  and  cayenne  (or  paprica)  to  taste,  a  few  drops 
of  onion-juice,  two  tablespoonfuls  of  fine  crumbs,  and  the  yolk 
of  an  egg.  Heat  in  a  saucepan  set  within  another  of  boiling 
water,  stirring  until  the  paste  is  smoking-hot,  and  let  it  get  per- 
fectly cold  before  making  with  floured  hands  into  balls  or  into 
croquettes.  Roll  in  egg,  then  in  crumbs ;  set  in  a  cold  place 
for  one  hour,  and  fry  in  deep,  hot  cottolene.  While  they  are 
chiefly  used  as  garnishes  of  game  and  poultry,  they  are  very  nice 
as  a  vegetable  side-dish  accompanying  the  same. 


FAMILIAR  TALK. 

A  WOMEN'S  LUNCHEON. 

Fifty  years  ago  an  entertainment  in  which  men  were  not  in- 
cluded was  an  unheard-of  thing.  While  the  lords  of  creation 
had  what  the  youths  of  to-day  term  "  stag-rackets,"  that  is, 
dinners,  suppers,  and  theatre-parties  from  which  the  gentler  sex 
were  excluded,  their  wives,  sisters,  and  daughters  never  thought 
of  retaliating  in  kind,  and  having  "a  good  time"  without  the 
men.  Indeed,  the  fair  beings  would  have  doubted  the  possi- 
bility of  carrying  such  a  plan  into  practice. 

Consequently,  as  men  are  seldom  at  liberty  before  5  P.M., 
daylight  gatherings  did  not  exist  except  in  the  form  of  picnics, 
for  which  mild  dissipation  men  were  occasionally  prevailed  upon 
to  leave  office  and  desk  and  revel  in  sylvan  joys  in  the  form  of 
sunburn,  a  lunch  on  the  ground,  shared  with  unprejudiced  im- 
partiality by  ants  and  spiders,  and  a  jolting  ride  home  at  the 
end  of  the  longest  and  hardest  day  in  the  year. 


292  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

At  last  the  woman's  luncheon  was  suggested  by  some  sister 
exceeding  wise  in  her  generation,  and  the  desert  places  of  the 
weary  housewife's  and  mother's  life  blossomed  like  the  rose. 
Hitherto  the  woman  with  a  houseful  of  little  children  often 
found  it  impracticable  to  leave  her  brood  after  dark,  or  she  was 
too  weary  from  a  day  of  toil  to  think  of  going  out ;  and  month 
after  month  dragged  its  lagging  length  away  without  a  single 
break  in  the  monotony  of  her  daily  life. 

A  veritable  drudge  must  that  woman  be  who  cannot  spare 
two  or  three  hours  in  the  middle  of  the  day  to  attend  a  lunch- 
eon. Even  a  very  young  baby  can-  be  left  with  the  nurse  at 
noon-time,  while  mamma  will  be  made  brighter  and  fresher  for 
the  little  while  spent  in  the  society  of  pleasant  and  chatty 
women. 

A  luncheon  is  an  especially  easy  method  of  entertainment 
for  the  housekeeper  with  many  cares.  Coming  as  it  does  in  the 
middle  of  the  day,  there  is  the  whole  morning  in  which  to 
make  ready,  and  the  afternoon  in  which  to  clear  away  the  rem- 
nants of  the  feast  and  wash  the  dishes  before  nightfall. 

A  table  groaning  beneath  the  weight  of  viands  set  forth  upon 
it  is  a  figure  of  speech  not  used  in  these  modern  times.  At  our 
luncheon  everything  may  be  served  from  the  sideboard,  and  the 
only  eatables  upon  the  table  will  be  small  dishes  containing 
olives,  salted  almonds,  bonbons,  radishes,  pickles,  or  jelly,  and 
fancy  cakes,  or  one  large  ornamental  loaf. 

There  is  such  a  great  variety  of  tablecloths  and  napkins  suita- 
ble for  luncheons  that  the  housekeeper  may  use  her  own  judgment 
as  to  plain  white  or  colored  damask,  hemmed,  hemstitched,  or 
fringed  borders.  One  exquisite  cloth  has  embroidered  violets 
dropped  at  intervals  all  over  it,  and  would  be  very  beautiful  for 
a  violet  luncheon. 

The  cloth  laid,  place  in  the  centre  of  the  table  a  round, 
square,  or  long  embroidered  centre-piece  upon  which  may  rest 
a  circular  mirror  (if  you  are  so  fortunate  as  to  possess  one),  and 
on  this  stand  a  bowl  of  flowers.  If  you  are  to  have  flowers  for 
your  guests  it  is  a  pretty  notion  to  let  your  floral  centre-piece 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

be  composed  of  large  pink  roses — one  for  each  woman  present. 
To  every  rose  is  attached  a  wide  pink  satin  ribbon,  which 
passes  to  the  appointed  place  of  the  guest  whose  name  appears 
on  the  ribbon  in  gilt  lettering.  If  you  paint,  you  may  easily 
decorate  these  ribbons  yourself,  and,  if  you  wish,  may  add  the 
date  to  the  name.  The  repast  ended,  each  woman  pulls  her 
ribbon  and  draws  her  rose  toward  her.  The  ribbons  are 
pretty  souvenirs  of  the  feast. 

Never  practise  the  hideous  hotel  plan  of  distorting  a  napkin 
into  fancy  shapes.  The  square  of  damask  should  be  plainly 
folded  and  laid  by  each  place.  A  Vienna  roll  or  finger-rolls 
may  be  put  by  the  napkin,  .the  knives  on  the  right  hand,  the 
forks  on  the  left. 

The  woman  who  lives  in  or  near  a  town  may  order  fancy 
dishes  from  a  caterer.  Olives  and  bon-bons  must  be  bought,  but 
the  almonds  are  cheaper  and  often  better  if  salted  at  home,  while 
pate-making  is  a  simple  matter  if  one  has  a  good  recipe  and  a 
moderate  degree  of  skill. 

The  following  is  a  good,  and  not  expensive,  menu  for  a  wom- 
an's luncheon. 

If  quails  are  out  of  season,  and  consequently  unavailable  for 
the  game-course,  broiled  chicken  may  be  substituted. 

LUNCHEON  BILL-OF-FARE. 

Little  Neck  Clams,  or  "grape-fruit,"  or  oranges 

cut  in  halves,  or  a  bunch  of  white  grapes 

tied  with  narrow  ribbon. 

Bouillon. 

Creamed  Lobster. 

Sweetbread  Pates. 

Filet  of  Beef.         Green  Pease. 

Quail  on  Toast. 

Tomato  and  Lettuce  Mayonnaise. 
Ice-Cream.  Cake.  Fruit. 

Coffee. 
Creme  de  menthe  served  in  tiny  glasses. 

M.  H. 


SALADS. 

UNFORTUNATELY  for  women  whose  purses  are  limited  in  length 
and  light  in  weight,  there  are  few  dishes  which  are  at  once  in- 
expensive, convenient,  elegant,  and  healthful,  during  that  most 
trying  of  all  seasons  to  the  housekeeper's  soul,  "the  heated  term." 
But  salads  combine  all  the  above-mentioned  qualities,  and  are, 
moreover,  grateful  to  the  most  fastidious  palate. 

It  takes  brains  and  education  to  appreciate  this  fact,  and  in 
the  country  the  farmer's  wife  or  mother  is  convinced  that  a  meal 
is  not  fit  for  "  folks  "  to  eat  unless  graced  by  "  something  hearty." 
This  "hearty"  viand  may  be  chipped  beef,  picked-up  codfish 
(salt),  or  fried  pork.  The  overwrought  woman  would  open  her 
eyes  in  incredulous  astonishment  if  you  were  to  suggest  that 
salads  would  be  cheaper,  more  wholesome,  and  certainly  more 
palatable.  Her  only  idea  of  cheap  salad  is  of  half-wilted  lettuce- 
leaves,  drenched  in  a  mixture  of  rancid  oil  and  vinegar,  pepper 
and  salt.  Small  wonder  that  her  husband  and  sons  "  take  no 
stock"  therein  ! 

The  varieties  of  salad  are  numerous — meat,  poultry,  fish,  eggs, 
cheese,  and  vegetables  all  forming  bases  upon  which  the  epi- 
cure's delight  may  be  founded.  On  the  other  side  of  the  Atlan- 
tic a  dinner  without  salad  is  considered  a  culinary  solecism,  and 
it  would  be  well  for  us  Americans  to  do  away  with  fries  and  pies, 
and  turn  our  attention  in  the  direction  of  "  greens." 

We  will  be  surprised  to  find  how  "scraps"  maybe  utilized 
and  made  delicious.  One  country  housewife,  cumbered  by  many 
cares  in  the  way  of  midsummer  cookery,  brought  up  one  after- 
noon from  the  cellar  a  saucerful  of  cold  pease,  one  of  cold  beets, 
one  of  beans,  and  two  hard-boiled  eggs,  which  had  been  left 


THE   NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

from  breakfast,  and  wondered  "what  she  was  to  do  with  these 
things,  which  were  too  little  to  use  and  too  good  to  throw 
away. ' ' 

A  city  cousin  and  visitor,  passing  through  the  kitchen,  which 
was  bright  and  clean  and  cool,  had  a  brilliant  idea,  and  sug- 
gested that  no  fire  be  built  in  the  freshly  polished  range  before 
supper.  They  had  already  planned  to  have  cold  tea,  which  had 
been  set  aside  in  the  refrigerator  after  the  mid-day  dinner.  The 
city  friend  took  matters  into  her  own  hands,  and  found  that  there 
were  lettuce  and  berries  in  the  garden,  pot-cheese  and  cream  in 
the  cellar,  plenty  of  crackers,  bread  and  cake  and  lemons,  with 
a  box  of  sardines,  in  the  closet.  A  boy  was  sent  out  to  pick  the 
berries  and  to  gather  lettuce,  and  in  three-quarters  of  an  hour 
the  household  was  summoned  to  a  repast  which  they  pronounced 
the  most  delicious  of  the  season.  Sardines  were  daintily  served, 
garnished  with  lemon  ;  a  bowl,  lined  with  crisp  lettuce-leaves, 
was  filled  with  a  salad  of  pease,  beans,  and  chopped  beets,  highly 
seasoned.  Over  these  was  poured  a  rich  mayonnaise  dressing. 
Two  beets  had  been  reserved  from  those  put  into  the  salad,  and 
were  skilfully  cut  by  a  sharp  knife  into  star -shapes,  and  with  the 
sliced  hard  eggs,  laid  upon  the  surface  of  the  mayonnaise. 

Each  glass  contained  cracked  ice,  powdered  sugar,  and  a  slice 
of  lemon,  and  was  then  filled  with  cold  tea.  Creamy  pot-cheese, 
slices  of  light  bread,  and  crisp  crackers  completed  the  first 
course,  while  fresh  berries,  drowned  in  rich  cream,  were  served 
with  the  loaf  of  golden  sponge  cake. 

MAYONNAISE  DRESSING. 

One  egg ;  one  pint  of  the  best  salad  oil — never  use  a  cheap 
oil ;  one  tablespoonful  of  vinegar  ;  half  a  lemon  ;  saltspoonful  of 
salt;  half  a  saltspoonful  each  of  mustard  and  white  pepper. 

Separate  the  white  and  the  yolk  of  the  egg.  To  the  latter 
add  the  juice  of  the  lemon,  the  salt,  pepper,  and  mustard.  Mix 
with  three  or  four  stirs  of  a  fork.  Begin  putting  in  the  oil,  a 
few  drops  at  a  time,  stirring  steadily ,  increasing  the  quantity  as 


296  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

the  dressing  thickens.  When  about  two-thirds  of  the  oil  has 
been  used  the  vinegar  should  be  added,  little  by  little,  and 
after  that  the  remainder  of  the  oil.  The  steady  stirring  of  the 
fork  should  be  unremitting.  If  oil,  egg,  and  plate  have  been 
well  chilled  before  they  are  used,  this  dressing  may  be  made  in 
ten  or  fifteen  minutes.  Place  it  on  the  ice  until  needed,  and 
just  before  sending  to  table  whip  the  white  of  the  egg  to  a 
standing  froth  and  stir  it  lightly  into  the  dressing. 

Should  the  egg  and  oil  curdle  and  separate,  or  obstinately  re- 
fuse to  thicken,  do  not  waste  time  in  the  futile  attempt  to  stir 
them  to  a  success.  Take  another  egg  and  begin  again  in  a  fresh 
plate.  When  this  dressing  thickens — as  it  will,  unless  there  is 
something  radically  wrong  with  egg,  oil,  or  worker — add  the 
curdled  dressing  carefully,  a  little  at  a  time,  stirring  incessantly. 
The  result  should  be  as  good  a  mayonnaise  as  could  be  desired. 
In  hot  weather  especial  care  should  be  taken  to  have  the  uten- 
sils and  ingredients  alike,  ice-cold. 

The  seasoning  may  be  varied  by  substituting  tarragon  for  plain 
vinegar,  and  by  rubbing  the  bowl  in  which  the  dressing  is  mixed 
with  a  split  clove  of  garlic  or  by  using  paprica  in  place  of  cay- 
enne. 

In  fancy  salads  this  mayonnaise  may  be  colored  green  by  the 
addition  of  a  little  spinach-juice  (see  Green  Hollandaise  Sauce), 
or  red  by  adding  to  it  a  small  amount  of  powdered  lobster  coral 
or  of  strained  tomato-liquor  which  has  been  boiled  down  until  it 
is  nearly  a  jelly.  Or  the  mayonnaise  may  be  made  white  by 
stirring  lightly  into  it  at  the  last  moment  before  serving  a  gill  of 
cream  whipped  very  stiff.  If  a  deep  yellow  is  desired,  the  beaten 
white  of  egg  should  not  be  added  to  the  mayonnaise. 

ASPIC  MAYONNAISE. 

Into  a  cupful  of  aspic  jelly,  cold,  but  not  stiff  (see  recipe  for 
Aspic),  stir  oil,  drop  by  drop,  as  for  ordinary  mayonnaise.  A 
half-pint  of  oil  may  be  used  with  the  given  quantity  of  aspic. 
When  the  dressing  begins  to  thicken  stir  in  a  tablespoonful  of 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

tarragon  or  plain  vinegar,  unless  the  aspic  is  quite  tart.  In  that 
case  omit  the  vinegar,  and  season  with  a  little  salt  and  cayenne. 
The  amount  of  these  to  be  used  depends  upon  whether  or  not  the 
aspic  is  highly  seasoned. 

As  in  making  the  plain  mayonnaise,  the  utensils  and  ingredi- 
ents should  be  very  cold.  It  is  even  well  to  set  the  bowl  con- 
taining the  dressing  in  a  larger  vessel  of  cracked  ice  while  you 
stir. 

This  aspic  mayonnaise  may  be  used  for  garnishing  salads  and 
cold  meats,  and  is  often  used  instead  of  the  plain  aspic  for  jellied 
chicken,  tongue,  etc.,  that  are  to  be  formed  in  a  mould. 

FRENCH  DRESSING  FOR  SALADS. 

One  saltspoonful  of  salt;  half  a  saltspoonful  of  pepper;  one 
tablespoonful  of  vinegar;  three  tablespoon  fu  Is  of  oil. 

Rub  the  spoon  or  the  bowl  in  which  the  salad  is  mixed  with  a 
little  garlic. 

Put  pepper  and  salt  together  in  the  salad-spoon  and  fill  the 
spoon  with  oil.  Stir  with  the  fork,  and  when  well  mixed  pour 
upon  the  salad.  Measure  out  the  rest  of  the  oil  demanded  and 
the  vinegar,  and  after  all  has  been  turned  upon  the  salad,  toss 
this  about  with  the  fork  and  spoon  until  every  leaf  has  received 
its  share  of  the  dressing. 

Or  the  dressing  may  be  mixed  in  a  small  bowl  or  deep  saucer, 
and  either  poured  upon  the  salad  by  the  hostess  or  passed  to  the 
guests  that  they  may  help  themselves.  It  is  better  to  mix  it  in 
a  bowl  rather  than  in  the  spoon,  except  for  such  salads  as  lettuce 
or  endive. 

A  French  dressing  is  cheaper,  and  more  easily  prepared  than 
a  mayonnaise  and  far  more  wholesome.  It  can  be  used  for  many 
salads  where  the  latter  would  seem  cloying  and  is  always  en  regie 
at  a  dinner  where  the  salad  course  should  be  light  and  refresh 
the  eater  rather  than  surfeit  him.  A  mayonnaise  is  more  in 
order  for  suppers,  early  or  late,  for  collations,  standing  luncheons, 
and  the  like. 


298  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

BOILED  SALAD  DRESSING.    (No.  I.) 

Two  well-beaten  eggs;  half  a  pint  of  vinegar;  one  heaping 
teaspoonful  of  granulated  sugar ;  one-half  teaspoonful  of  English 
mustard  ;  pinch  of  cayenne  ;  salt  to  taste. 

Mix  well,  put  over  the  fire  in  a  porcelain -lined  saucepan  and 
bring  it  slowly  to  a  boil,  stirring  incessantly.  When  it  bubbles 
add  a  small  teaspoonful  of  butter  and  take  from  the  stove.  Let 
it  get  cold,  bottle  and  put  in  a  cool  place  until  needed.  It  will 
keep  some  time. 

BOILED  SALAD  DRESSING.    (No.  2.) 
With  Whipped  Cream. 

Four  tablespoonfuls  of  vinegar ;  one  heaping  tablespoonful  of 
butter;  one  tablespoonful  of  flour;  one  egg,  beaten  light; 
one  teaspoonful  of  white  sugar;  one-half  teaspoonful  each  of 
pepper  and  mustard ;  salt  to  taste ;  whipped  cream  at  dis- 
cretion. 

Beat  the  butter  and  flour  to  a  cream,  stir  in  the  beaten  egg, 
and  all  the  seasoning  except  the  salt.  Next  put  in  the  vinegar, 
turn  all  into  a  saucepan  and  cook  slowly,  stirring  until  the 
sauce  is  rery  thick.  Take  from  the  fire,  salt,  and  keep  in  a  cool 
place.  When  it  is  to  be  used  stir  whipped  cream  into  it  to 
thin  it  to  about  the  consistency  of  mayonnaise. 

This  is  a  very  fine  dressing. 

BOILED  SALAD  DRESSING.    (No.  3.) 

Add  the  whipped  yolks  of  six  eggs  to  six  tablespoonfuls  of 
boiling  vinegar.  Pour  into  a  tin  pail,  set  in  a  pan  of  boiling 
water,  and  stir  until  quite  stiff.  Remove  from  the  fire,  add  four 
tablespoonfuls  of  butter,  and  beat  until  perfectly  mixed.  When 
cold  season  to  taste  with  salt,  pepper,  mustard,  etc.,  and  thin 
with  oil  to  the  required  consistency.  This  will  keep  several  days 
in  a  cold,  dark  place. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  299 

BOILED  SALAD  DRESSING.    (No.  4.) 

Heat  two  cupfuls  of  rich  milk  (half  cream  is  better)  ;  stir  in 
two  heaping  tablespoon fuls  of  corn-starch  rubbed  up  with  three 
tablespoonfuls  of  butter.  Cook  one  minute.  Beat  hard,  and 
when  cold  season  to  taste  with  vinegar,  mustard,  etc. 

CUCUMBER  ASPIC 

Four  large  cucumbers  ;  one  small  onion;  half- box  of  gelatine 
soaked  in  half  a  cupful  of  cold  water ;  salt  and  white  pepper  to 
taste. 

Peel  the  cucumbers,  cut  into  thick  slices,  and  put  them  and 
the  sliced  onion  over  the  fire  with  a  scant  quart  of  water. 
Simmer  for  an  hour,  stir  in  the  gelatine,  and,  when  this  is  dis- 
solved, season  the  jelly,  strain  it,  and  set  it  aside  to  cool.  It 
may  be  formed  in  small  moulds  and  turned  out  on  lettuce-leaves, 
or  used  in  a  border-mould  for  garnishing  a  fish  or  tomato  salad, 
or  set  to  form  in  a  salad-bowl  and  taken  out  by  the  spoonful 
and  served  on  lettuce-leaves.  French  dressing  is  better  with  it 
than  mayonnaise. 

TOMATO  ASPIC 

One  pint  of  tomato-liquor,  strained  from  the  can  or  from  fresh 
tomatoes,  stewed.  Half  a  box  of  gelatine,  soaked  half  an  hour 
in  a  cupful  of  cold  water;  one  slice  of  onion;  one  bay -leaf ; 
two  cloves ;  a  spray  of  parsley ;  salt  and  cayenne  to  taste. 

Stew  the  bay-leaf,  onion,  parsley,  and  cloves  in  the  tomato- 
liquor  for  fifteen  minutes,  stir  in  the  gelatine,  season,  and  strain 
the  aspic  through  flannel  without  squeezing.  It  may  be  used 
like  the  cucumber  jelly,  as  a  salad,  served  on  lettuce  or  to  garnish 
other  salads  or  dishes  of  cold  meats.  Some  cooks  add  a  little 
beef-extract  to  the  jelly,  but  it  detracts  from  the  distinctive  flavor 
of  the  tomato. 

LETTUCE  SALAD. 

Pick  over  the  lettuce  carefully,  rejecting  all  wilted  or  bruised 
leaves.  Throw  it  into  ice-cold  water  for  at  least  half  an  hour  be- 


300  .       THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

fore  serving.  Take  it  out,  dry  it  carefully  between  two  folds  of 
a  clean  kitchen  towel  and  lay  it  in  the  salad-bowl,  which  should 
first  have  been  rubbed  with  a  split  clove  of  garlic.  Serve  with 
French  dressing. 

ROMAINE  LETTUCE. 

This  delicious  variety  of  lettuce  is  becoming  daily  more  com- 
mon in  our  markets  and  is  preferred  by  many  to  the  ordinary 
lettuce.  It  may  be  prepared  for  the  table  in  the  same  way. 

CRESS,  CHICORY,  OR  ENDIVE  SALAD 

may  be  treated  like  lettuce.  An  excellent  salad  may  be  made 
by  mixing  lettuce  with  any  or  all  of  these. 

DANDELION  SALAD. 

For  this  only  the  white  leaves,  free  from  any  green  tips,  may 
be  used,  and  they  should  be  very  carefully  washed.  Serve  with 
a  French  dressing. 

DANDELION  AND  BEET  SALAD. 

Wash  and  pick  over  the  dandelion  greens.  Slice  cold  boiled 
beets  thin.  Line  your  salad-bowl  with  the  dandelion  and  heap 
the  beets  in  the  middle.  Serve  with  French  dressing. 

STUFFED  BEET  SALAD. 

Select  large  red  beets,  boiling  them  without  peeling  and 
scrape  off  the  skins  while  still  warm.  Cut  a  slice  off  the  top  and 
scoop  out  the  inside  of  the  beet,  taking  care  not  to  break  or 
pierce  the  outer  wall.  Chop  celery  fine,  mix  it  with  a  mayon- 
naise, and  fill  the  beets  with  this.  Arrange  them  on  lettuce- 
leaves  and  heap  more  mayonnaise  on  top  of  the  celery  before 
sending  the  dish  to  table. 

The  filling  may  be  varied  by  mixing  with  the  celery  some  of 
the  beet  that  was  cut  out,  chopped  fine,  or  by  mincing  a  cucum- 
ber with  these  or  with  the  celery  alone. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  3<DI 


CUCUMBER   SALAD. 

Peel  cucumbers,  slice  them  very  thin,  and  throw  them  into 
iced  water  for  an  hour  before  using.  Dry  them,  put  them  into  a 
bowl  that  has  been  rubbed  with  garlic,  and  serve  them  with  a 
French  dressing.  Those  who  think  a  cucumber  salad  incomplete 
without  onion  may  either  add  a  teaspoonful  of  onion-juice  to  the 
dressing  or  slice  a  couple  of  tiny  young  onions  with  the  cucum- 
bers. In  their  season,  minced  chives  are  a  pleasant  addition  to 
a  cucumber  salad. 

STUFFED  CUCUMBER  SALAD. 

Select  medium-sized  cucumbers,  peel  them  and  cut  them  in 
half,  lengthwise.  Scrape  out  the  seeds,  lay  the  boats  thus  made 
in  iced  water  for  an  hour  or  two,  take  them  out,  dry  and  arrange 
on  lettuce-leaves.  For  each  cucumber  allow  a  small  tomato,  a 
stalk  of  celery,  a  sprig  of  parsley,  and  a  bit  of  onion  the  size  of 
a  hazel-nut.  Peel  the  tomato  and  remove  the  seeds,  and  chop 
the  pulp  fine  with  the  celery,  onion,  and  parsley.  Bind  these 
with  a  little  mayonnaise,  fill  the  cucumbers,  heap  more  mayon- 
naise on  the  top  and  the  dish  is  ready.  Serve  each  guest  with 
a  half  of  one  of  the  cucumber  boats  and  a  leaf  of  lettuce. 

SALAD  OF  STRING-BEANS  OR  GREEN  PEASE. 

Heap  cold  boiled  string-beans  or  green  pease  in  a  salad-bowl, 
pour  over  them  a  French  dressing,  and  serve. 

Or— 

They  may  be  served  with  Boiled  Salad  Dressing,  No.  2. 

MACEDOINE,  OR  VEGETABLE  SALAD. 

This  is  an  excellent  method  of  using  the  remnants  of  vege- 
tables left  from  dinner  of  the  day  before — the  half  dozen  slices  of 
boiled  beets,  the  few  stalks  of  celery,  the  two  or  three  cold  pota- 
toes and  onions,  the  saucerful  of  beans  or  green  pease,  the  boiled 
carrot  from  the  soup.  Slice  the  potatoes  and  onions,  and 


3O2  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

heap  all  the  vegetables  together  upon  leaves  of  lettuce.  Pour 
over  them  either  a  mayonnaise  or  a  French  dressing.  Almost 
any  ct>ld  vegetable  may  find  a  place  in  this  salad. 

LETTUCE  AND  TOMATO  SALAD. 

Arrange  lettuce-leaves  in  a  bowl,  chop  two  tomatoes  coarsely 
and  strew  them  over  the  lettuce.  Serve  with  French  dressing. 
Lettuce  and  cucumber  may  be  prepared  in  the  same  way. 

TOMATO  AND  LETTUCE  SALAD. 

Do  not  remove  the  skin  from  your  tomatoes  by  scalding,  but 
by  carefully  peeling  them.  Then  cut  into  halves.  Arrange  on 
a  cold  dish  the  crispest  lettuce-leaves,  lay  half  a  tomato  on  each, 
and  scatter  finely  crushed  ice  over  all.  Fill  a  pretty  glass  bowl 
with  mayonnaise,  and,  in  serving  the  salad,  pour  a  ladleful  of 
dressing  over  each  piece  of  tomato. 

They  may  also  be  served  with  a  French  dressing  and  without 
the  lettuce. 

RUSSIAN  TOMATO  AND  SARDINE  SALAD. 

Skin  six  medium-sized  boneless  sardines,  remove  heads  and 
tails  and  cut  each  sardine  into  three  or  four  pieces.  Peel  three 
tomatoes  that  have  been  thoroughly  chilled,  remove  the  seeds, 
cut  the  tomatoes  into  small  squares  and  mix  with  the  sardines. 
Arrange  lettuce-leaves  in  a  salad-bowl,  sprinkle  the  tomatoes  and 
sardines  on  them,  and  serve  with  a  French  or  mayonnaise  dress- 
ing. 

TOMATO  BASKETS  WITH  GREEN  PEASE. 

Select  large,  firm  tomatoes,  peel  them,  cut  off  the  tops  and  re- 
move the  seeds  and  soft  pulp,  leaving  a  thick  outer  wall  of  the 
firm  flesh  of  the  tomato.  Fill  each  basket  thus  made  with  cold 
boiled  green  pease  and  place  it  upon  a  leaf  of  lettuce.  Arrange 
these  in  a  salad-bowl  or  upon  a  platter,  and,  in  serving,  heap  a 
tablespoonful  of  mayonnaise  on  each  basket,  or  pass  the  mayon- 
naise in  a  bowl  or  pitcher,  in  which  is  placed  a  spoon  or  small 
ladle,  and  let  each  guest  help  himself. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  303 

This  is  an  ornamental  and  delicious  salad.  Tender  beans  cut 
into  small  pieces  may  be  used  instead  of  the  pease  and  will  be 
nearly  as  good. 

TOMATO  BASKETS  WITH  CELERY. 

Prepare  the  tomatoes  as  in  the  preceding  recipe.  Split  celery- 
stalks  lengthwise  until  not  much  thicker  than  straws  and  cut 
them  crosswise  into  half-inch  lengths.  Fill  the  tomato  baskets 
with  them  and  serve  on  lettuce-leaves  with  Boiled  Salad  Dressing, 
No.  i,  or  with  mayonnaise. 

TOMATO  BASKETS  WITH  CUCUMBERS. 

Peel  cucumbers,  cut  them  into  quarters,  lengthwise,  slice  them 
thin,  and  throw  them  into  cold  water  for  an  hour.  Take  them 
out,  dry  them  between  two  folds  of  a  towel,  mix  with  a  bit  of 
onion  no  larger  than  a  hazel-nut,  minced  fine,  and  (if  you  can 
get  it)  a  little  chopped  green  pepper.  Season  with  paprica,  and 
with  this  mixture  fill  tomato-shells,  prepared  as  already  directed. 
Serve  on  lettuce  with  French  or  mayonnaise  dressing. 

TOMATO  BASKETS  WITH  SHRIMPS. 

Remove  shrimps  from  their  shells,  arrange  them  in  tomato 
baskets,  and  serve  on  lettuce  with  mayonnaise.  Canned  shrimps 
may  be  used  in  this  delicious  salad  and  are  almost  equal  to  the 
fresh. 

TOMATO  BASKETS  WITH  CHICKEN. 

Fill  tomato  baskets,  made  as  above  directed,  with  the  white 
meat  of  chicken,  minced  fine.  Serve  on  lettuce-leaves  with 
mayonnaise. 

TOMATO  BASKETS  WITH  SWEETBREADS. 

Boil  and  blanch  a  large  pair  of  sweetbreads,  skin  them,  and  cut 
them  with  a  sharp  knife  into  dice.  Mix  a  little  mayonnaise 
with  them,  and  fill  baskets  made  of  tomatoes,  as  directed  in 
recipe  for  Tomato  Baskets  with  Green  Pease.  Arrange  on  let- 


304  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

ttice-leaves,  put  another  spoonful  of  mayonnaise  on  top  of  each 
tomato,  and  serve. 

These  baskets  may  be  made  in  a  different  fashion  by  leaving  a 
strip  of  the  peel  to  serve  as  a  handle  across  the  top  of  the  basket, 
and  carefully  scooping  out  the  pulp  from  under  it. 

CELERY  SALAD. 

Cut  fine  white  celery  into  inch  lengths,  throw  it  into  iced 
water  for  half  an  hour,  take  it  out,  dry  and  serve  it  with  a  French 
dressing  or  mayonnaise,  or  with  a  boiled  salad  dressing. 

CELERY  AND  RADISH  SALAD. 

Prepare  the  celery  as  directed  above,  heap  it  in  a  bowl  and 
surround  it  with  a  border  of  small  radishes,  half  peeled,  to  look 
like  roses.  Put  one  on  top  of  the  mound  of  celery  and  dress  all 
with  mayonnaise. 

CELERY  SALAD  WITH  TOMATO  JELLY. 

Prepare  and  mound  the  celery  as  in  the  preceding  recipe  and 
encircle  it  with  tomato  aspic.  This  may  have  been  formed  in  a 
border-mould  the  size  of  the  dish,  or  such  a  mould  may  be  im- 
provised by  setting  one  vessel  inside  of  the  other  and  placing  the 
jelly  to  form  in  the  outer  one.  Both  should  be  wet  before  the 
jelly  goes  in,  and  if  the  inner  vessel  is  filled  with  ice  or  iced  water 
the  process  of  forming  will  be  hastened. 

CELERY  AND  APPLE  SALAD. 

With  one  cupful  and  a  half  of  crisp  celery,  cut  into  inch 
lengths,  mix  one  cupful  of  tart  apple,  cut  into  dice.  Cover  with  a 
mayonnaise.  Do  not  cut  the  apple  until  just  before  serving,  as 
it  darkens  after  peeling. 

POTATO  SALAD. 

Boil  eight  potatoes  in  their  skins  and  do  not  peel  them  until 
they  are  cold.  Rub  the  inside  of  your  salad-bowl  with  a  clove 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  305 

of  garlic  (if  you  dislike  the  flavor  of  garlic  you  may  omit  this). 
Slice  or  chop  the  potatoes  into  the  bowl  and  add  to  them  an 
onion  which  you  have  minced  fine  and  scalded  for  five  minutes 
in  boiling  water.  Season  the  vegetables  with  pepper  and  salt 
and  pour  upon  them  five  tablespoon fu Is  of  oil  and  two  of  vinegar. 
Toss  and  turn  them  in  this  and  let  them  stand  in  it  an  hour 
before  serving.  Some  people  relish  the  addition  of  a  couple  of 
cold  boiled  beets,  sliced. 

An  attractive  fashion  of  arranging  this  dish  is  to  heap  the  po- 
tatoes in  the  middle  of  the  bowl  and  arrange  a  border  of  the 
beets  about  them. 

ASPARAGUS  SALAD. 

Boil  and  drain  fine  asparagus  and  let  it  get  very  cold.  Serve 
it  as  a  separate  course  and  pass  with  it  a  bowl  or  pitcher  of 
French  or  mayonnaise  dressing.  Most  people  prefer  the  former. 

CAULIFLOWER  SALAD. 

Prepare  and  serve  like  asparagus  salad,  dividing  the  cauliflower 
into  clusters  before  sending  it  to  table. 

CABBAGE  SALAD. 

Shred  a  firm  white  head  of  cabbage  fine  with  a  sharp  knife  and 
set  it  on  ice.  Heat  in  separate  vessels  a  cupful  of  sweet  milk 
and  half  a  cupful  of  vinegar.  When  the  vinegar  is  scalding-hot 
stir  into  it  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  and  one  of  white  sugar, 
with  a  teaspoonful  of  celery  essence,  a  saltspoonful  of  pepper, 
and  twice  as  much  salt.  Boil  up  sharply  and  stir  in  the  cab- 
bage. Let  it  get  smoking-hot,  but  not  boil. 

Now  give  your  attention  to  the  hot  milk.  Pour  it  upon  two 
well-beaten  eggs  and  cook  until  they  begin  to  thicken  well. 
Turn  the  hot  cabbage  into  a  bowl,  pour  the  custard  upon  it  and 
stir  it  rapidly  with  a  silver  fork  until  all  the  ingredients  are  well 
mixed.  Set  away  in  a  closely  covered  vessel  where  it  will  cool 
suddenly.  When  cold  keep  it  on  ice  until  needed. 
20 


306  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

POT-CHEESE  SALAD.    (No.  J.) 

Begin  by  making  your  mayonnaise  and  arrange  your  lettuce- 
leaves  on  a  large,  flat  dish.  Break,  with  the  bowl  of  a  spoon,  the 
pot-cheese  into  small  crumbs,  and  when  this  is  done  moisten  it 
gradually  with  the  mayonnaise  dressing,  rubbing  and  blending  it 
all  together  into  a  creamy  mass.  When  the  pot-cheese  has 
reached  this  state  drop  a  tablespoonful  of  it  upon  each  lettuce- 
leaf.  Set  the  dish  on  the  ice  long  enough  to  chill  the  contents 
thoroughly  and  serve. 

POT-CHEESE  SALAD.    (No.  2.) 

Mould  the  cheese,  mix  with  cream  and  butter  until  it  will  just 
allow  of  being  handled,  and  form  into  oval  balls  about  the  size 
of  a  bantam's  eggs.  Lay  each  of  them  upon  a  leaf  of  lettuce  and 
pass  with  them  a  mayonnaise  or  boiled  dressing. 

EGG  SALAD.    (No.  J.) 

Boil  six  eggs  for  fifteen  minutes,  then  throw  them  into  cold 
water  and  allow  them  to  remain  there  until  cold.  Remove  the 
shells  and  cut  each  egg  into  four  pieces ;  place  crisp  lettuce- 
leaves  on  a  large  platter,  lay  a  piece  of  egg  on  each  leaf,  sprinkle 
lightly  with  salt,  and  pour  mayonnaise  over  all. 

EGG  SALAD.    (No.  2.) 

Boil  six  eggs  perfectly  hard,  putting  them  on  in  cold  water 
and  cooking  ten  minutes  after  this  reaches  the  boil,  that  the 
yolks  may  be  dry  and  mealy.  Cut  the  whites  in  two,  remove 
carefully,  and  rub  the  yolks  to  a  paste  with  three  tablespoonfuls 
of  minced  ham  or  chicken,  or  both,  ten  drops  of  onion-juice,  a 
saltspoonful  of  mustard,  a  tablespoonful  of  melted  butter,  salt  to 
taste,  and  half  a  teaspoon ful  of  paprica.  Crowd  this  mixture 
back  into  the  halved  whites,  cutting  a  bit  off  the  bottom  of  each 
cup  that  it  may  stand  upright  and  letting  the  newly  formed  yolk 
rise  above  the  edge  of  the  white  as  far  as  the  original  yolk  would 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  307 

have  done.     Arrange  these  on  lettuce-leaves  and  serve  with  a 
French  dressing  or  with  Boiled  Salad  Dressing,  No.  2. 


OYSTER  SALAD. 

One  quart  of  oysters,  cut  into  quarters  with  a  sharp  silver 
knife.  One  head  of  celery,  cut  into  half-inch  lengths  ;  yolks  of 
three  raw  eggs,  well  beaten  ;  yolks  of  two  cooked  eggs,  boiled 
for  twenty-five  minutes,  then  laid  in  cold  water  for  an  hour; 
two  tablespoonfuls  of  salad  oil ;  one  teaspoonful  of  white  sugar  ; 
one  half  teaspoonful  of  salt,  and  the  same  each  of  white  pepper 
and  made  mustard  ;  four  tablespoonfuls  of  vinegar. 

Drain  the  oysters  and  wipe  them  between  two  soft  cloths  be- 
fore you  cut  them.  Set  aside  upon  ice,  and  when  you  have  cut 
up  the  celery  do  the  same  with  it,  in  a  separate  vessel.  Beat 
the  raw  yolks  and  whip  in,  first,  the  sugar,  then,  gradually,  the 
oil,  next,  the  powdered  yolks,  which  have  been  rubbed  smooth 
with  salt,  pepper,  and  mustard.  When  all  are  mixed  and  smooth 
put  in  the  vinegar,  a  few  drops  at  a  time,  whipping  the  dressing 
lightly  and  fast,  all  the  time.  It  should  be  a  soft  yellow  cream. 

Mix  oysters  and  celery  in  a  glass  bowl  a  few  minutes  before  it 
is  to  go  to  table,  tossing  gently  with  a  silver  fork ;  pour  half  the 
dressing  upon  them  while  you  do  this,  the  rest  on  top. 

Garnish  with  a  wreath  of  pale-green  celery -tufts  laid  close 
within  the  edge  of  the  bowl,  and  keep  on  ice  up  to  the  instant  of 
serving. 

SHRIMP  SALAD. 

Turn  out  the  contents  of  a  can  of  shrimps  several  hours  be- 
fore you  make  the  salad,  and  set  on  the  ice  until  needed.  Ar- 
range lettuce  in  a  bowl,  sprinkle  it  with  very  finely  cracked  ice, 
and  lay  the  shrimps  among  the  leaves.  Add  mayonnaise  dress- 
ing and  serve  immediately. 

LOBSTER  SALAD. 

Select  rather  large  lobsters,  as  there  is  a  good  deal  of  waste 
about  the  small  ones.  Plunge  them  head  downward  into  boil- 


308  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

ing  water,  and  cook  for  about  three-quarters  of  an  hour.  Break 
the  shells  carefully,  remove  and  throw  away  the  stomach,  the 
vein  that  runs  through  the  tail-piece,  and  the  spongy  fingers  be- 
tween the  body  and  the  shell.  All  the  other  meat  is  eatable. 
Cut  into  neat  pieces,  arrange  it  on  lettuce,  cover  with  mayon- 
naise dressing,  and  garnish  with  the  claws  of  the  lobster. 

LOBSTER  SALAD  A  L'ALLEMANDE. 

Proceed  with  the  lobster  as  in  the  preceding  recipe,  and  when 
the  pieces  are  arranged  on  the  lettuce-leaves  sprinkle  over  them 
a  tablespoonful  of  finely  minced  parsley  and  the  yolks  of  four 
hard-boiled  eggs  pressed  through  a  sieve.  Serve  with  French 
dressing. 

LOBSTER  SALAD  A  LA  RUSSE. 

Cut  the  lobster  into  dice  and  mix  it  with  a  generous  quantity 
of  mayonnaise.  Stir  in  with  a  pint  of  the  mingled  lobster  and 
dressing  about  two  dozen  tiny  cubes  of  young  carrots  and  beets 
boiled  very  tender.  Line  a  salad-bowl  with  lettuce-leaves,  heap 
the  salad  upon  them,  mask  it  with  more  of  the  yellow  mayon- 
naise, and  garnish  it  with  a  little  of  the  dressing,  colored  red 
with  the  lobster  coral,  and  with  a  very  little  Russian  caviare. 

LOBSTER  SALAD  EN  CASSEROLE* 

Prepare  exactly  as  directed  above,  only,  instead  of  serving  in  a 
large  bowl  on  lettuce-leaves,  arrange  without  the  lettuce  in  tiny 
casseroles  of  china,  copper,  or  silver.  These  come  for  cooking 
shirred  eggs  and  similar  dishes,  and  differ  from  the  regular  nap- 
pies in  having  handles.  Garnish  as  above  with  red  mayonnaise 
and  caviare.  In  both  cases  be  sure  that  salad  and  dressing  are 

ice-cold. 

CRAB  SALAD 

may  be  prepared  like  lobster  salad. 

SOFT-SHELL  CRAB  SALAD. 

Broil,  or  fry,  soft-shell  crabs,  as  elsewhere  directed,  and  serve 
cold  on  lettuce  with  mayonnaise  or  tartare  sauce. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  309 

SARDINE  SALAD. 

One  box  of  sardines,  two  bunches  of  celery,  mayonnaise. 
Drain  the  oil  from  the  sardines  by  laying  each  fish  on  soft  tissue- 
paper,  turning  the  sardine  first  on  one  side,  then  on  the  other, 
until  the  grease  is  absorbed  by  the  paper.  Separate  and  wash 
the  celery,  using  only  the  finest,  whitest  stalks.  Cut  each  piece 
into  inch  lengths,  season  with  pepper,  salt,  and  vinegar. 
Pile  these  pieces  into  a  small  pyramid  upon  a  glass  platter,  and 
lay  the  sardines  about  the  base  of  the  mound.  Pour  gently  over 
all  a  thick  mayonnaise. 

PLAIN  FISH  SALAD. 

Salmon  is  generally  the  favorite  fish  for  salad,  but  any  good, 
firm  fish,  like  halibut,  cod,  pickerel,  bass,  etc.,  may  be  used.  It 
should  be  boiled  until  thoroughly  cooked,  but  not  overdone,  and 
allowed  to  get  perfectly  cold.  The  fish  should  then  be  cut  into 
square  or  oblong  pieces,  about  two  or  three  by  three  or  four  inches 
in  size,  and  each  piece  should  be  laid  on  a  lettuce-leaf.  Mayon- 
naise dressing  may  be  poured  over  it  in  the  dish,  or  passed  to 
each  person.  A  savory  addition  to  a  white  fish  is  that  of  a  sar- 
dine picked  fine  and  stirred  into  the  mayonnaise,  although  this 
is  not  desirable  with  salmon.  Garnish  with  cucumber  jelly. 

FRENCH  FISH  SALAD. 

Boil  halibut  until  done,  but  remove  it  from  the  fire  while  firm 
and  let  it  get  cold.  Cut  into  pieces,  as  directed  above,  lay  each 
piece  on  a  lettuce-leaf,  and  place  on  it  a  boneless  sardine  that  has 
been  drained  and  skinned.  Serve  with  mayonnaise. 

FISH  SALAD  A  L'ESPAGNOL. 

Boil  the  fish  and  cut  into  pieces,  as  directed  above,  and  ar- 
range a  layer  of  it  in  the  bottom  of  a  bowl  lined  with  lettuce- 
leaves.  The  bowl  should  first  have  been  well  rubbed  with  gar- 
lic. On  the  fish  lay  shredded  sweet  peppers,  arrange  upon  them 


3IO  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

stoned  olives  and  hard-boiled  eggs,   sliced,  and   serve  with   a 
French  dressing. 


SALMON  AND  CUCUMBER  SALAD  (VERY  FINE). 

Upon  a  steak  of  cold  boiled  salmon,  arranged  on  lettuce- 
leaves,  place  a  layer  of  very  thinly  sliced  cucumbers  and  garnish 
with  cucumber  jelly  or  nasturtium  blossoms.  Serve  with  French 
dressing. 

CHICKEN  SALAD. 

The  meat  of  a  cold  boiled  chicken,  cut  into  small,  neat  pieces. 
Half  as  much  celery  as  you  have  chicken,  cut  into  inch  lengths. 
One  small  head  of  lettuce.  Pepper  and  salt  to  taste.  One  table- 
spoonful  of  oil.  One  tablespoonful  of  vinegar.  One  cupful  of 
mayonnaise  dressing. 

Mix  the  cut  chicken  and  celery,  season  and  moisten  with 
oil  and  vinegar.  Line  a  salad-bowl  with  lettuce,  and  on  this 
heap  your  salad.  Pour  the  thick  mayonnaise  dressing  over  the 
chicken  and  celery.  In  summer-time,  when  celery  is  scarce  and 
expensive,  it  may  be  omitted  from  the  salad,  and  then  it  is  well 
to  use  celery-salt  in  seasoning.  Garnish  with  quarters  of  hard- 
boiled  eggs,  stoned  olives,  or  capers,  as  you  may  desire. 


SWEETBREAD  SALAD. 

As  soon  as  the  sweetbreads  are  brought  home  plunge  them 
into  scalding  water,  slightly  salted,  and  allow  them  to  remain 
there  for  ten  minutes,  then  lay  in  iced  water  to  whiten  them. 
When  entirely  cold,  cook  them  for  fifteen  minutes  in  salted 
boiling  water,  wipe  them  dry,  and  lay  them  on  the  ice  until  they 
are  cold  and  crisp,  when  they  may  be  cut  with  a  sharp  knife  into 
slices.  Line  your  salad-bowl  with  lettuce-leaves,  lay  the  sliced 
sweetbreads  upon  these,  and  strew  thickly  with  mayonnaise 
dressing. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  311 

SWEETBREAD  AND  CELERY  SALAD. 

Prepare  sweetbreads  as  directed  in  preceding  recipe,  cut  them 
into  dice  and  mix  with  them  an  equal  quantity  of  crisp  celery 
cut  into  pieces  of  the  same  size.  Serve  on  lettuce  with  a  may- 
onnaise dressing. 

MELON  SALAD. 

Lay  muskmelons  on  the  ice  for  five  or  six  hours.  Open  them 
just  before  they  are  needed,  scrape  out  the  seeds,  divide  the 
melon  into  crescents,  and  cut  off  the  rind  and  green  part,  leav- 
ing only  the  fully  ripe  portion.  Heap  these  pieces  in  a  bowl 
with  bits  of  ice  among  them,  and  pour  over  them  a  French  dress- 
ing; mayonnaise  may  be  used  if  preferred.  Watermelon  that 
lacks  sweetness  may  be  served  in  the  same  manner. 

ORANGE  SALAD* 

Let  the  oranges  get  very  cold  ;  peel  them  and  divide  them  into 
lobes  and  serve  on  lettuce-leaves  with  mayonnaise  dressing.  This 
is  a  rather  heavy  salad,  but  very  good. 

i 

GRAPEFRUIT  SALAD. 

Prepare  as  you  do  the  oranges,  taking  great  pains  to  remove 
every  particle  of  the  bitter  white  skin  that  coats  the  lobes.  Serve 
with  or  without  lettuce  with  French  dressing. 

WALNUT  SALAD. 

Remove  the  shells  from  twenty  fresh  English  walnuts,  throw 
them  into  boiling  water,  drain  and  skin  them,  and  serve  on  let- 
tuce with  mayonnaise  or  French  dressing. 

WALNUT  AND  APPLE  SALAD. 

Prepare  as  directed  in  preceding  recipe,  and  mix  with  them  a 
cupful  of  chopped  apple.  Serve  with  mayonnaise. 


312  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

CHESTNUT  SALAD. 

Shell  French  chestnuts  and  boil  them  fifteen  minutes  or  until 
soft.  Remove  the  skins,  and  when  cold  serve  them  upon  lettuce 
with  a  French  dressing. 

CHESTNUT  AND  WALNUT  SALAD 

may  be  made  by  mixing  the  nuts  prepared,  as  above,  in  equal 
quantities  and  serving  with  a  French  dressing. 

FRENCH  FRUIT  SALAD. 

One  head  of  lettuce ;  one  dozen  English  walnuts ;  two  dozen 
white  grapes,  large  and  firm ;  three  bananas ;  two  oranges ; 
half  a  pint  of  mayonnaise. 

Peel  the  oranges,  divide  into  lobes,  and  cut  each  lobe  into 
three  pieces,  removing  the  seeds.  Skin  with  a  very  sharp  knife 
the  white  grapes  and  seed  these  (this  is  the  only  tedious  part  of 
the  preparation).  Shell  and  halve  the  walnuts  and  slice  the 
bananas  with  a  silver  knife.  Arrange  the  fruit  on  the  lettuce, 
rejecting  all  leaves  but  the  crispest  and  most  delicate.  Cover  all 
with  mayonnaise  dressing  and  serve  ice-cold. 


SOMETHING  ABOUT  SAUCES. 
FAMILIAR  TALK* 

NOTHING  differentiates  more  decidedly  the  plain  from  the  ele- 
gant dinner  than  the  sauces  ;  in  fact,  it  is  often  the  lack  of  the 
sauce  that  makes  the  plain  dinner,  its  presence  that  converts  the 
simple  into  the  elegant  meal. 

Only  lately  has  the  American  housekeeper  begun  to  appreciate 
the  culinary  value  of  the  sauce  ;  not  even  yet  has  the  unpractised 
cook  overcome  her  terror  of  it.  The  legend  appended  to  reci- 
pes that  she  has  read  with  confidence,  "  Serve  with  a  Holland- 
aise  (or  a  Bechamel,  or  a  Soubise,  or  a  Bordelaise)  sauce,"  is  to 
her  as  a  red  flag  that  \varns  her  back  from  dangerous  ground. 

Not  altogether  in  vain,  however,  have  culinary  missionaries 
gone  up  and  down  through  the  country  in  person  or  by  printed 
representative  preaching  the  gospel  of  good  cookery.  Their 
labors  have  been  already  crowned  with  some  measure  of  success, 
and  from  them  the  American  housewife  is  learning  that  closer 
acquaintance  with  French  names  and  dishes  robs  them  of  their 
terrors,  The  firmly  grounded  dread  of  them  has  been  largely 
due  to  the  unfamiliar  terms  in  which  they  were  conveyed,  and 
when  these  are  swept  away  and  plain,  every-day  "  kitchen  Eng- 
lish "  substituted,  the  preparation  of  the  formidable  compounds 
is  seen  to  be  a  very  simple  affair  after  all. 

The  fancied  difficulty  of  mixing  and  cooking  is  not,  however, 
the  only  obstacle  sauces  ha.ve  had  to  vanquish  on  the  road  to 
popularity.  They  have  long  enjoyed  a  reputation  of  unwhole- 
someness  and  costliness  that  has  influenced  many  persons  to  keep 


314  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

them  from  their  tables.  There  is  no  more  potent  enemy  than  a 
well-turned  phrase,  and  the  concise  saying,  "  Plain  living  and 
high  thinking,"  has  been  responsible  for  many  of  the  defects  of 
the  American  cuisine — a  dearth  of  sauces  among  them.  (How  as 
sensible  a  race  as  the  Yankee  could  place  pie  among  the  articles 
of  diet  that  help  make  up  plain  living  is  a  problem  that  has  never 
been  solved.)  It  is  the  general  opinion  that  plain  living  and 
sauces  are  incompatible.  Perhaps  they  are,  but  people  may 
"  strive  mightily  ' '  and  yet  eat  generous  food,  and  they  are  begin- 
ning to  acquire  the  valuable  knowledge  that  a  palatable  diet  is, 
for  good  physiological  reasons,  more  likely  to  be  easy  of  diges- 
tion than  food  which  does  not  tempt  the  appetite.  A  well-pre- 
pared sauce  adds  materially  to  the  gustatory  properties  of  a  dish, 
and,  all  things  being  equal,  there  is  no  reason  in  the  world  why 
it  should  be  unwholesome  to  a  person  who  has  a  gastric  apparatus 
in  fairly  good  working  order. 

Of  course  there  are  sauces  and  sauces.  It  is  possible  to  make 
a  rich,  highly  spiced  fat  and  starch-laden  concoction  that  would 
tax  the  digestion  of  an  ostrich  almost  as  severely  as  would  the 
New  England  doughnut  or  the  Knickerbocker  mince-pie.  But 
the  woman  of  dietetic  prudence  does  not  put  these  before  her 
family  as  a  steady  diet,  and  she  rules  them  entirely  off  the 
nursery  bill-of-fare.  In  like  manner  she  serves  upon  ordinary 
occasions  simple  sauces  containing  a  few  well-cooked  ingredi- 
ents and  reserves  the  dyspepsia-producers  for  high-days  and  holi- 
days when  the  independent  citizen  shows  his  joy  in  the  Christ- 
mas or  Thanksgiving  season  by  overeating  on  an  assortment  of 
foods  that  only  American  ingenuity  would  have  thought  of  com- 
bining. 

The  other  difficulty — that  of  the  expense  of  sauces — may  be 
best  settled  by  the  common-sense  of  the  housekeeper.  She  is  not 
the  wise  woman  I  think  her  if  she  has  not,  early  in  her  profes- 
sional career,  established  a  system  of  debit  and  credit  by  which 
the  costly  viands  of  one  day  are  offset  by  the  simpler  food 
of  the  next.  It  does  not  take  her  long  to  learn  that  by  the 
addition  of  a  savory,  though  inexpensive,  sauce  the  i  cheaper 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  315 

meal  may  be  made  every  whit  as  palatable  as  the  high-priced 
one.  The  rolled  neck  of  lamb  is  a  popular  dish  when  masked 
with  tomato  sauce;  the  white  sauce  makes  a  dainty //<*/  of  the 
warmed-over  chicken  or  veal,  and  a  brown  sauce,  seasoned  with 
paprica,  converts  the  stew  from  yesterday's  cold  beef  into  an  ap- 
petizing ragout.  And  so  on  through  endless  combinations  which 
the  good  cook  is  quick  to  learn  and  utilize,  for  the  sauce-boat 
is  only  rivalled  by  the  stock-pot  as  a  means  of  making  a  satisfy- 
ing disposition  of  odds  and  ends  of  left-overs  of  soups  and  gravies 
and  vegetables. 

In  making  sauces  it  must  always  be  borne  in  mind  that  cook- 
ery is  an  exact  science.  There  must  be  no  guessing  at  quan- 
tities, no  carelessness  in  measures.  Given  amounts,  mixed  in  a 
certain  way,  will  produce  a  sauce  of  the  correct  consistency,  and 
the  most  experienced  chef  is  the  last  one  to  take  liberties  with 
the  proportions  of  solid  and  liquid  ingredients  in  a  sauce. 
When  the  proper  method  of  combining  them  has  once  been  mas- 
tered the  secret  of  all  sauces  is  in  the  hands  of  the  learner.  The 
most  elaborate  are  but  variations  upon  the  original  simple 
formula.  C.  T.  H. 

WHITE  SAUCE. 

One  tablespoon ful  of  butter.  One  rounded  tablespoonful  of 
flour.  There  must  be  as  much  flour  above  the  brim  of  the  spoon 
as  there  is  below  it.  One  half-pint  of  milk ;  one  saltspoonful  of 
salt ;  pinch  of  white  pepper. 

Put  the  butter  into  a  saucepan.  As  it  melts  add  the  flour,  stir- 
ring constantly  until  both  are  thoroughly  blended.  As  soon  as 
they  are  mixed  and  begin  to  bubble,  but  before  they  have 
browned,  pour  in  the  milk.  Stir  unceasingly  until  the  sauce  is 
smooth  and  thick  enough  to  mask  the  back  of  the  spoon.  Let  it 
cook  for  at  least  one  minute  after  it  reaches  a  boil,  season,  and  it 
is  done.  If  it  cannot  be  used  at  once,  keep  it  hot  over  boiling 
water.  If  it  stands  for  some  time  it  will  probably  thicken,  and 
in  that  case  it  will  be  necessary  to  thin  it  with  a  little  boiling  milk 
before  sending  it  to  table. 


316  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

CREAM  SAUCE 

may  be  made  like  white  sauce,  by  using  cream  instead  of  milk, 
or  by  doubling  the  quantity  of  butter. 

BROWN  OR  SPANISH  SAUCE. 

This,  the  other  "mother-sauce,"  to  use  the  term  French 
cooks  apply  to  the  two  sauces  upon  which  all  others  are  founded, 
differs  little  in  essentials  from  the  white  sauce. 

One  rounded  tablespoonful  of  flour  ;  one  tablespoonful  of  but- 
ter ;  one-half  pint  of  well-seasoned  consomme  or  brown  soup- 
stock. 

Cook  the  butter  and  flour  together,  as  in  the  preceding  recipe, 
but  instead  of  adding  the  liquid  as  soon  as  they  bubble,  allow 
them  to  brown,  stirring  all  the  time.  When  they  have  reached 
this  stage  put  in  the  stocft,  and  proceed  as  with  the  white  sauce. 
The  use  of  flour  that  has  been  already  browned  will  shorten  the 
time  required  for  making  this  sauce.  To  make  it  a  rich,  dark 
color  it  is  necessary  to  use  a  few  drops  of  caramel  or  burnt  sugar, 
or,  better  still,  it  may  be  both  colored  and  seasoned  by  the  addi- 
tion of  a  teaspoonful  of  kitchen-bouquet. 

ROUX,  WHITE  AND  BROWN,  TO  KEEP. 

A  valuable  hint  may  be  taken  from  the  French  cooks,  who 
have  roux  for  their  white  and  brown  sauces  always  ready.  To 
prepare  the  white  roux,  cook  together  a  quarter  of  a  pound  each 
of  butter  and  flour,  as  for  white  sauces,  until  they  bubble.  Cook 
one  or  two  minutes,  but  do  not  allow  them  to  brown.  Take 
them  from  the  fire,  turn  into  a  small  jar,  cover,  and  keep  in  a 
cool  place.  To  make  a  white  sauce,  melt  two  tablespoon fuls  of 
the  roux  in  a  saucepan,  and  add  half  a  pint  of  milk.  Cook  until 
smooth,  season,  and  it  is  ready  for  use. 

The  brown  roux  takes  longer  to  prepare.  The  same  quantities 
of  butter  and  flour  are  used,  but  they  must  cook  to  a  good  brown 
before  they  are  taken  from  the  fire  and  packed  in  a  jar.  This  is 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  317 

used  in  the  same  manner  as  the  white  roux.  If  not  dark  enough 
the  addition  of  the  caramel  or  kitchen-bouquet  that  will  bring  it 
to  the  required  tint  may  be  postponed  until  the  roux  is  to  be 
converted  into  sauce. 

BUTTER  SAUCE. 

Prepare  by  the  recipe  given  for  White  Sauce,  but  add  to  the 
roux  half  a  pint  of  boiling  water  instead  of  the  same  quantity  of 
milk.  This  sauce  is  frequently  known  as  "  plain  drawn  butter," 
or  "  butter  drawn  in  water." 

BUTTER  SAUCE,  TARTARE. 

To  half  a  pint  of  butter  sauce  add  ten  drops  of  onion-juice,  a 
pinch  of  English  mustard,  wet  in  a  few  drops  of  vinegar,  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  minced  gherkins  and  capers,  and  a  beaten  egg,  the 
last  very  cautiously.  After  it  is  stirred  in  take  the  sauce  at  once 
from  the  fire.  This  is  very  good  with  fish. 

HOLLANDAISE  SAUCE. 

Haifa  pint  of  butter  sauce  ;  one  egg  ;  one  teaspoonful  of  salad 
oil ;  one  teaspoonful  of  lemon-juice  ;  salt  and  white  pepper. 

When  the  butter  sauce  is  made  move  it  to  the  side  of  the  stove, 
and  add  to  it  the  beaten  egg,  very  cautiously,  and  stirring  con- 
stantly. As  soon  as  it  is  all  in  put  in  the  oil,  drop  by  drop, 
steadily,  without  ceasing  to  stir.  Season  the  sauce  and  serve  it 
at  once.  If  allowed  to  stand,  it  is  very  likely  to  curdle. 

GREEN  HOLLANDAISE  SAUCE. 

As  soon  as  the  oil  is  in  the  Hollandaise  sauce  stir  in  a  little 
green  coloring  matter,  either  of  the  French  vegetable  colorings, 
which  are  perfectly  harmless,  or  the  green  you  have  procured  by 
cooking  a  handful  of  spinach  leaves,  without  water,  in  the  inner 
vessel  of  a  double  boiler,  until  they  are  tender,  and  then  squeez- 
ing them  through  a  cloth.  Be  careful  not  to  use  enough  to  thin 
the  sauce. 


3l8  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

BECHAMEL  SAUCE,  No.  I.    (FOR  FISH.) 

One  heaping  tablespoonful  of  flour  and  one  of  butter  cooked 
to  a  roux  ;  half  a  pint  of  fish-stock,  made  by  boiling  half  a  pound 
of  any  good  fish  in  a  quart  of  water  with  a  bay-leaf,  a  slice  each 
of  onion  and  carrot,  a  stalk  of  celery,  and  two  or  three  pepper- 
corns. Boil  slowly  until  the  liquid  is  reduced  about  one-half, 
strain  the  liquid,  return  it  to  the  fire  and  boil  it  down  to  the  re- 
quired amount.  Instead  of  the  fish,  the  trimmings  and  bones  of 
a  fish  may  be  used. 

One  gill  of  cream  ;  salt  and  white  pepper  to  taste. 

Pour  the  fish-stock  upon  the  roux,  stir  until  it  thickens,  add 
the  cream,  season,  and  take  at  once  from  the 'fire.  In  sauces 
where  cream  is  thus  added  it  is  well  to  slightly  increase  the 
amount  of  flour  used  in  the  roux  (as  has  been  done  in  this 
recipe),  lest  the  sauce  should  be  too  thin. 

BECHAMEL  SAUCE,  No.  2.    (FOR  MEAL.) 

Two  tablespoon fu Is  of  butter ;  one  heaping  tablespoonful  of 
flour,  half  a  pint  of  white  stock,  made  from  veal  or  chicken  and 
very  well  seasoned.  The  stock  should  have  had  an  onion,  a  bay- 
leaf,  a  piece  of  carrot,  and  a  stalk  of  celery  cooked  in  it  and 
strained  out  before  it  is  used  for  the  sauce.  One  gill  of  cream. 

Proceed  as  with  Bechamel  Fish  Sauce. 

SUPREME  SAUCE. 

Half  a  pint  of  Bechamel  sauce  ;  yolks  of  two  eggs  ;  one  tea- 
spoonful  of  minced  parsley  ;  salt  and  white  pepper. 

Stir  in  the  yolks,  drop  by  drop,  take  from  the  fire,  add  the 
parsley  and  seasoning. 

Especially  good  with  chicken  croquettes. 

ALLEMANDE  SAUCE 

is  made  like  the  above,  except  that  a   dozen  chopped  mush- 
rooms are  put  in  just  before  the  eggs,  and  a  half  teaspoonful  of 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  319 

onion-juice  and  a  grate  of  a  nutmeg  are  added  after  the  sauce 
comes  from  the  fire. 

EGG  SAUCE. 

Half  a  pint  of  white  sauce  ;  one  hard-boiled  egg,  chopped 
fine  ;  one  raw  egg,  beaten  light ;  salt  and  pepper  to  taste. 

Add  the  minced  egg  to  the  white  sauce,  and  before  it  returns 
to  the  boil  stir  in  slowly  the  raw  egg.  Season,  take  from  the 
fire  immediately  and  serve.  This  may  be  used  with  boiled  or 
baked  fish,  boiled  mutton  or  chicken. 


CURRY  EGG  SAUCE. 

One  tablespoonful  of  flour  ;  one  tablespoonful  of  butter  ;  one- 
half  teaspoon ful  of  onion-juice  ;  one-half  pint  of  milk  ;  one  hard- 
boiled  egg,  chopped  fine  ;  one  scant  teaspoonful  of  curry-pow- 
der ;  two  tablespoon fuls  of  cream. 

Brown  the  onion  lightly  in  the  butter.  Stir  in  the  flour  and 
the  curry-powder,  and  when  all  are  blended,  the  milk.  Cook 
until  thick  and  smooth,  add  the  egg,  and  after  one  minute  the 
cream.  Salt  to  taste,  and  serve  at  once. 

This  sauce  is  especially  fine  with  any  boiled  white  fish  and  is 
also  good  with  boiled  fowl,  if  rice  is  served  with  it. 

ANCHOVY  EGG  SAUCE. 

One  tablespoonful  each  of  butter  and  flour ;  half  a  pint  of 
milk  ;  one  hard-boiled  egg,  minced  ;  one  teaspoonful  of  anchovy 
paste  ;  a  tiny  pinch  of  cayenne. 

Cook  the  butter  and  flour  together,  put  in  the  anchovy  paste 
and  the  milk,  and  stir  steadily,  rubbing  the  lumps  from  the  an- 
chovy paste  with  the  back  of  the  spoon,  until  you  have  a  smooth 
thick  sauce.  Add  the  chopped  egg  and  pepper,  and  serve.  A 
couple  of  tablespoonfuls  of  thick  cream  is  an  improvement.  This 
is  a  good  as  well  as  an  ornamental  sauce  for  boiled  white  fish 
like  halibut  or  fresh  cod. 


32O  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

OYSTER  SAUCE.    (No.  J.) 

One  tablespoonful  each  of  butter  and  flour  ;  one  gill  of  cream  ; 
twelve  small  oysters,  cooked  three  minutes  in  one  gill  of  boiling 
oyster-liquor  ;  half  a  teaspoonful  of  lemon-juice  ;  salt  and  white 
pepper  to  taste  ;  tiny  pinch  of  mace. 

Cook  the  oysters,  strain  the  liquor,  put  it  with  the  cream,  and 
turn  both  upon  the  roux  made  from  the  flour  and  butter.  When 
the  sauce  thickens  put  in  the  oysters,  which  should  have  been 
chopped  coarsely,  add  the  lemon-juice  and  seasoning,  and  serve 
the  sauce  immediately  before  the  oysters  have  time  to  toughen. 
It  is  hardly  possible  to  be  too  sparing  with  the  mace.  A  very 
few  grains  will  suffice. 

OYSTER  SAUCE.    (No.  2.) 

Make  as  directed  in  the  foregoing  recipe,  substituting  milk  for 
the  cream,  and  add  a  whipped  egg  at  the  same  time  with  the 
oysters.  Always  remember  that  an  egg  is  to  be  poured  in  almost 
drop  by  drop,  or  it  will  curdle. 

CLAM  SAUCE 
may  be  made  by  either  of  the  recipes  given  for  oyster  sauce. 

LOBSTER  SAUCE.    (No.  J.) 

One -half  pint  of  butter  sauce  ;  three  tablespoon  fuls  of  boiled 
lobster-meat,  minced  fine ;  one  tablespoonful  of  lobster-coral 
rubbed  to  a  paste  with  as  much  butter  ;  one  teaspoonful  of 
lemon-juice  ;  salt  to  taste  ;  pinch  of  cayenne. 

Have  the  butter-sauce  boiling  hot,  and  stir  into  it  the  coral 
paste  until  it  is  smoothly  blended  with  the  sauce.  Add  the  lob- 
ster-meat, the  salt  and  pepper,  and,  last,  the  lemon-juice. 

LOBSTER  SAUCE.    (No.  2.) 

One  tablespoonful  each  of  flour  and  butter  made  into  a  ronx  ; 
one-half  pint  of  milk  ;  one  gill  of  fish-stock ;  one-half  cupful 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  321 

of  minced  lobster-meat ;    salt,  red    pepper,   and  a  teaspoonful 
of  lemon-juice. 

Add  the  lobster-meat  and  seasoning  to  the  sauce  made  from 
the  roux,  milk,  and  fish-stock. 

LOBSTER  SAUCE.    (No.  3.) 

To  half  a  pint  of  Hollandaise  sauce  add  half  a  cupful  of  boiled 
lobster,  chopped  fine,  and  a  tablespoonful  of  the  coral  rubbed 
to  a  paste  with  a  tablespoonful  of  butter.  Season  with  a  little 
cayenne. 

CUCUMBER  SAUCE.    (No.  J.) 

Peel  and  chop  one  large  or  two  small  cucumbers.  There 
should  be  a  cupful  of  the  mince.  Turn  it  into  a  colander,  let 
the  liquid  drain  from  it  for  a  few  minutes,  and  put  it  into  a  bowl 
that  has  been  rubbed  lightly  with  garlic.  Add  a  tiny  pinch  of 
soda  to  half  a  pint  of  cream,  whip  it  to  a  froth.  Season  the  cu- 
cumbers with  half  a  teaspoonful  of  onion-juice,  salt,  a  dash  of 
cayenne  pepper,  and  one  teaspoonful  of  sharp  vinegar.  Mix  the 
cucumber  and  whipped  cream  together  and  serve  immediately. 

This  is  delicious  with  fish. 

CUCUMBER  SAUCE.    (No.  2.) 

Add  a  finely  chopped  cucumber  to  half  a  pint  of  Hollandaise 
sauce  after  this  comes  from  the  fire. 

CUCUMBER  SAUCE.    (No.  3.) 

Peel  and  chop  two  cucumbers,  drain  them,  put  them  into  a 
bowl  that  has  been  rubbed  with  garlic,  and  cover  them  with  a 
French  dressing  of  two  tablespoonfuls  of  oil,  half  a  tablespoonful 
of  vinegar,  half  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  and  a  saltspoonful  of 
white  pepper. 

TOMATO  SAUCE.    (No.  J.) 

One  tablespoonful  each  of  butter  and  flour  ;  one-half  pint  of 
tomato-liquor  in  which  has  been  cooked  for  half  an  hour  a  slice 

21 


322  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

of  onion,  a  bay  leaf,  and  a  little  parsley  ;  a  bit  of  soda  about  the 
size  of  a  pea  added  to  the  tomato  after  it  has  been  cooked  and 
strained  ;  salt  and  pepper  to  taste. 

Proceed  as  with  white  sauce.  If  the  tomato  is  very  tart,  a 
scant  teaspoonful  of  sugar  may  be  stirred  into  it. 

TOMATO  SAUCE.    (No.  2.) 

Four  firm  tomatoes,  or  the  solid  part  of  a  can  of  tomatoes.  If 
the  former  are  used,  they  must  be  cut  in  half  and  the  seeds 
scooped  out. 

One  teaspoonful  of  onion-juice ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  salad 
oil ;  a  scant  teaspoonful  of  salt ;  a  little  cayenne  ;  two  teaspoon- 
fuls  of  vinegar. 

Chop  the  tomato  fine.  Rub  a  small  bowl  with  garlic  and 
mix  in  it  the  oil,  the  onion-juice,  the  salt,  pepper,  and  vinegar. 
Pour  this  dressing  upon  the  minced  tomato  and  it  is  ready. 

Good  for  cold  meats  or  for  fish. 

MINT  SAUCE. 

Three  tablespoonfuls  of  mint,  minced  fine  ;  three  tablespoon- 
fuls of  granulated  sugar  ;  four  tablespoonfuls  of  vinegar  ;  a  little 
white  pepper. 

Bruise  the  mint  with  the  sugar,  and  pour  on  the  vinegar 
slowly,  stirring  until  the  sugar  is  well  dissolved.  Serve  cold. 

SORREL  SAUCE. 

One  cupful  of  garden  sorrel,  washed,  stemmed,  and  chopped ; 
one  cupful  of  boiling  water  ;  yolk  of  an  egg,  beaten  light ;  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  butter ;  one  heaping  teaspoonful  of  browned 
flour  }  salt,  and  a  little  red  pepper. 

Melt  the  butter,  stir  in  the  flour,  and  when  they  have  blended, 
the  sorrel.  When  this  is  smoking  hot,  pour  in  the  boiling 
water,  cook  three  minutes,  season,  and  add  drop  by  drop  the 
egg,  beating  the  sauce  hard  all  the  time.  Serve  at  once.  This 
is  very  good  with  roast  beef,  mutton,  or  veal. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  323 

HORSERADISH  SAUCE. 

One  half-pint  of  cream  sauce ;  two  tablespoon fu Is  of  grated 
and  drained  horseradish ;  one  gill  of  whipped  cream ;  one  tea- 
spoonful  of  vinegar ;  salt  to  taste  and  a  pinch  of  cayenne. 

Stir  the  horseradish  into  the  hot  sauce,  and  let  it  become 
thoroughly  heated.  Add  the  vinegar  and  seasoning,  take  from 
the  fire,  stir  the  whipped  cream  in  lightly  and  serve. 

CAPER  SAUCE. 

Half-pint  of  butter  sauce  ;  one  tablespoonful  of  capers  ;  one- 
half  teaspoonful  of  onion-juice. 

Cook  the  onion-juice  and  capers  three  minutes  in  the  sauce. 

SOUBISE  OR  ONION  SAUCE. 

One-half  pint   of  white  sauce ;    two   medium-sized   onions, 
boiled  soft  and  chopped  fine ;  salt  and  white  pepper  to  taste. 
Stir  the  onions  into  the  sauce,  boil  up  once  and  season. 

CELERY    SAUCE 

may  be  made  in  the  same  way,  substituting  stewed  and  minced 
celery  for  the  onion. 

CHESTNUT  SAUCE. 

One-half  pint  of  brown,  or  Spanish  sauce  ;  two  cupfuls  of  boiled, 
peeled,  and  mashed  Spanish  chestnuts  ;  salt  and  pepper. 

Into  the  brown  sauce  stir  the  chestnut  meal  and  cook  three 
minutes.  Season,  and  if  necessary,  thin  the  sauce  with  boiling 
water  or  stock  to  the  consistency  of  very  thick  double  cream. 

MAITRE  EKHOTEL  SAUCE. 

One  cupful  of  butter ;  one  tablespoonful  of  lemon-juice ;  one 
tablespoonful  of  finely  minced  parsley  ;  a  little  white  pepper. 

Beat  the  butter  to  a  cream  with  a  fork,  whip  in  the  parsley, 
lemon-juice,  and  pepper,  and  set  on  the  ice  half  an  hour  before 
serving. 


324  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 


BREAD  SAUCE. 

Three  tablespoonfuls  of  bread-crumbs,  fine  and  white ;  one 
tablespoonful  bread-crumbs  fried  to  a  light  brown  crisp  in  a  little 
butter;  one  cupful  of  milk,  one  small  onion,  and  one  bay-leaf; 
one  tablespoonful  of  butter;  salt  and  white  pepper  to  taste,  and 
a  grate  of  a  nutmeg. 

Boil  the  onion  and  the  bay-leaf  in  the  milk  for  ten  minutes, 
strain  them  out,  put  in  the  white  crumbs  and  cook  three  min- 
utes, stir'  in  the  butter  and  the  seasoning,  boil  up  once  and  take 
from  the  fire.  Turn  into  a  sauceboat  and  strew  the  fried  crumbs 
over  the  top. 

MUSHROOM  SAUCE. 

Make  half  a  pint  of  brown  or  Spanish  sauce,  using  one  gill  of 
consomme  and  one  gill  of  mushroom  liquor  instead  of  half  a  pint 
of  consomme.  To  this  add  two  tablespoonfuls  of  sherry  or 
Madeira,  a  cupful  of  champignons,  each  one  of  which  has  been 
cut  into  three  pieces,  and  cook  three  minutes.  If  fresh  mushrooms 
are  used  add  them  and  the  wine  to  a  half  pint  of  ordinary 
Spanish  sauce,  set  the  saucepan  at  the  side  of  the  fire  and  sim- 
mer for  ten  minutes,  or  until  the  mushrooms,  which  should  have 
been  peeled  and  cut  into  small  pieces,  are  tender.  Season  with 
salt  and  pepper.  This  sauce  will  look  richer  if  colored  with  a 
few  drops  of  caramel  or  half  a  teaspoonful  of  kitchen  bouquet. 

BORDELAISE  SAUCE. 

Half  a  pint  of  brown  sauce  ;  one  teaspoonful  of  onion-juice ; 
four  tablespoonfuls  of  claret ;  salt  and  pepper. 
Cook  together  very  slowly  for  twenty  minutes. 

CHATEAUBRIAND  SAUCE. 

Three  gills  of  Bordelaise  sauce  ;  one  tablespoonful  of  butter  ; 
one  tablespoonful  of  flour ;  one  teaspoonful  of  lemon-juice ;  one 
teaspoonful  of  minced  parsley. 

Cook  the  butter  and  flour  together,  add  the  Bordelaise  sauce, 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  325 

stir  until  smooth,  put  in  lemon-juice  and  parsley,  simmer  five 
minutes  and  serve. 

BEARNAISE  SAUCE. 

Yolks  of  four  eggs;  four  tablespoon fuls  of  salad  oil  or  melted 
butter;  one  tablespoon ful  of  tarragon  vinegar ;  two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  hot  water  ;  salt  and  a  little  cayenne. 

Set  a  small  bowl  in  a  pan  of  boiling  water  and  turn  the  beaten 
yolks  into  it ;  stir  in  the  oil,  almost  as  slowly  as  for  mayonnaise, 
and  then  the  boiling  water  in  the  same  way.  By  the  time  they 
are  all  in  the  sauce  should  be  thick  arid  smooth.  Take  it  from 
the  fire,  stir  in  the  vinegar,  salt,  and  pepper,  and  set  in  a  cool 
place. 

This  sauce  is  fine  for  baked  or  fried  fish,  for  lobster,  shrimp, 
and  crab  croquettes,  and  for  steaks  and  chops. 

CRANBERRY  SAUCE.    (No.  J.) 

One  quart  of  cranberries ;  one  pound  of  sugar ;  one-half  pint 
of  water.  Put  the  cranberries  over  the  fire  with  the  cold  water, 
and  let  them  cook  until  broken  to  pieces.  Add  the  sugar,  cook 
until  this  melts,  take  it  from  the  fire  and  set  aside  to  cool. 

CRANBERRY  SAUCE.    (No.  2.) 

Proceed  as  in  the  preceding  recipe  until  the  berries  are  cooked 
to  pieces.  Then  take  them  from  the  fire,  rub  them  through  a 
colander,  return  the  pulp  to  the  stove,  add  the  sugar,  cook  until 
it  dissolves,  and  set  the  sauce  aside  to  cool. 

CRANBERRY  SAUCE.    (No.  3.) 

Put  a  quart  of  cranberries  over  the  fire  in  a  double  boiler, 
adding  no  water  to  the  berries.  Cook  until  these  are  well  broken. 
Squeeze  the  juice  through  a  cloth,  measure  it  and  allow  sugar  in 
the  proportion  of  a  pound  of  this  to  a  pint  of  the  liquid.  Put 
the  latter  back  on  the  fire,  bring  to  a  quick  boil,  stir  in  the 
sugar,  let  it  dissolve  and  the  jelly  boil  up  once.  Turn  into  a 
mould  wet  with  cold  water,  and  set  in  a  cool  place  to  form. 
This  is  rather  cranberry  jelly  than  sauce. 


326  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

CURRANT  JELLY  SAUCE. 

One-half  pint  of  brown  sauce ;  four  tablespoonfuls  of  currant 
jelly. 

To  the  heated  brown  sauce,  add  the  jelly,  arid  stir  until  this 
is  melted  and  incorporated  with  the  sauce.  Serve  with  mutton, 
poultry,  or  game. 

VELOUTE  SAUCE. 

Half-pint  of  Bechamel  sauce,  No.  2  ;  one  gill  of  mushroom 
liquor ;  a  tiny  pinch  of  nutmeg  and  the  same  of  cayenne. 

Add  the  other  ingredients  to  the  sauce,  and  let  it  cook,  very 
slowly,  over  boiling  water,  at  the  back  of  the  stove,  for  fifteen 
minutes.  Strain,  and  heat  again  before  using. 

SAUCE  ROBERT. 

One  small  onion,  sliced ;  one  tablespoonful  of  butter ;  one 
tablespoonful  of  brown  flour  ;  half  pint  of  stock ;  one  teaspoon- 
ful  of  vinegar;  one  teaspoonful  of  made  mustard;  one  teaspoon- 
ful  of  anchovy  paste. 

Brown  the  onion  in  the  butter,  add  the  browned  flour,  and  to 
this  roux  the  stock.  When  it  boils,  put  in  the  other  ingredients, 
which  should  have  been  mixed  together. 

CHAUDFROID  SAUCE. 

One  half-pint  of  well-seasoned  Bechamel  sauce  No.  2  ;  one- 
half  ounce  of  gelatine  soaked  in  a  little  water  until  tender. 

Stir  the  moistened  gelatine  into  the  hot  sauce,  and  when  it  is 
well  blended  take  it  from  the  fire,  adding  a  little  more  salt  and 
pepper  if  necessary.  This  is  to  garnish  cold  chicken  and  turkey 
and  to  use  in  place  of  the  regular  aspic.  Set  it  on  ice,  and  if  it 
does  not  grow  firm  after  a  time,  warm  it  and  add  a  trifle  more 
gelatine. 

TARTARE  SAUCE. 

One-half  pint  of  mayonnaise  dressing  (see  salads) ;  one  small 
teaspoonful  of  English  mustard  made  to  a  paste  with  a  little  oil ; 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

one  tablespoonful  of  minced  parsley;  one  teaspoonful  of  chopped 
cucumber  pickles  ;  one  teaspoonful  of  chopped  capers  ;  ten  drops 
of  onion-juice. 

Stir  all  well  together  and  serve  in  a  pitcher,  bowl,  or  sauce- 
boat,  with  a  small  ladle  or  spoon. 

Especially  good  for  fish,  lobster,  crabs,  etc. 

MUSTARD  SAUCE,  OR  "MADE  MUSTARD." 

Two  tablespoonfuls  of  English  mustard  ;  one  teaspoonful  each 
of  salt  and  white  sugar  ;  one  half  teaspoonful  of  white  pepper  ; 
one  saltspoonful  of  celery-salt ;  two  teaspoonfuls  of  salad  oil  and 
vinegar  at  discretion.  Rub  a  small  bowl  with  garlic  and  mix 
all  the  ingredients  thoroughly.  The  sauce  should  be  just  fluid 
enough  to  pour  easily.  If  covered,  it  will  keep  some  time. 
Make  several  hours  before  using. 


BREAD. 
FAMILIAR  TALK. 

SWEET,  wholesome  bread,  pure  milk,  and  pure  water,  are  reck- 
oned among  the  commonest  blessings  of  every-day  life.  The  ap- 
plicant for  board  in  a  hotel  or  "  respectable  family''  is  stared 
at  in  surprised  disdain  when  he  stipulates  for  one,  or  all  three. 
Every  ''establishment,"  high-priced  or  low,  is  expected,  ac- 
cording to  the  proprietor,  to  provide  these  things  honest  in 
the  sight  of  men,  however  weak  he  may  be  in  the  matter  of 
entrees,  and  no  matter  how  grasping  he  is  reputed  to  be  as  to 
extras. 

In  a  private  house  the  bread,  at  least,  is  taken  for  granted. 
The  milkman  may  be  responsible  for  the  fluid  he  dispenses,  and 
the  water-service  of  city  or  town  for  what  the  hydrant  brings 
into  the  house,  but  she  for  whom  our  Saxon  ancestors  invented 
the  significant  name  of  "  loaf-giver"  is  guarantee  for  the  qual- 
ity of  the  daily  bread  she  breaks  to  her  household.  In  general, 
she  wears  the  responsibility  lightly.  If  the  bread  "  turns  out 
well  "  at  the  semi-weekly  baking,  she  is  satisfied.  She  is  also 
resigned  to  the  "turn"  in  the  direction  of  acidity  and  to  the 
slack-bake,  and  measurably  submissive  when  the  dough  has  taken 
cold,  and  the  quartette  of  batches  she  "reckons  as  about 
enough  "  for  her  family  until  next  baking-day,  when  drawn  from 
the  oven  and  set  up  on  edge  in  a  row  at  the  back  of  the  table  to 
cool,  suggest  to  the  college-bred  son — attracted  to  the  kitchen 
by  the  scent  of  hot  loaves — "  a  requiem  in  four  flats." 

"  Luck  has  a  deal  to  do  with  bread-making,"  soliloquizes  the 
loaf- giver.  "  But  I  find  that,  good  or  bad,  it  is  all  eaten  up." 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  329 

One  ultra-parsimonious  house-mother  once  told  me  that  she 
comforted  herself  when  her  baking  turned  out  badly  by  thinking 
that  poor  bread  went  farther  than  good. 

Even  the  conscientious  house- wife  is  less  critical  of  her  own 
and  her  cook's  ill-success  in  this  important  department  of  do- 
mestic labor  than  of  streaked  cake  and  watery  potatoes,  not  to 
mention  liquid  jellies  and  curdled  custards.  In  town  there  is 
the  baker  to  fall  back  upon  if  the  product  of  the  oven  be  abso- 
lutely uneatable,  and  every  country  store  keeps  bread  (save  the 
mark)  !  There  are  thousands  of  families  in  this  day  where  what 
is  known  at  the  South  as  "  light  bread,"  at  the  North  as  "  home- 
made loaf,"  is  never  mixed  or  baked.  The  staff  of  life  is  repre- 
sented to  parents  and  children  by  the  unnaturally  light  bricks 
and  twists  left  at  the  door,  or  brought  around  the  corner  from  the 
counter  where  they  were  laid  smoking-hot  early  in  the  day.  The 
dust  of  street  and  shop,  and  bacteria  shaken  from  the  clothing 
and  drifting  down  with  the  breath  of  customers,  have  settled 
upoii  them  ;  flies  have  crawled  over  them ;  they  have  absorbed 
damps  and  odors,  and  lost  what  freshness  they  had  while  new. 
The  seller  wraps  the  loaf  up  loosely  in  brown  paper,  the  small 
boy,  hurried  off  by  his  mother  from  marbles  or  hop-scotch,  tucks 
it  under  his  arm,  rushes  home  and  shies  it  upon  the  kitchen  table. 
If  it  skate  off  upon  the  floor,  it  is  only  bread.  A  wipe  of  a  soiled 
towel  sets  all  right  before  it  is  sliced  for  the  next  meal. 

To  people  who  have  been  habitually  nourished  upon  hon- 
est home-made  loaves  and  flaky  rolls,  such  stuff  as  I  have  mildly 
described  is  an  abomination,  analyzed  loathingly  as  a  compound 
of  chaff,  alum,  and  ammonia,  upon  which  a  sparrow  would 
starve.  By  comparison  with  the  fragrant  succulence  of  the 
"genuine  article,"  the  best  quality  of  French  bread — even  the 
Vienna  roll — becomes  at  length  tasteless  and  unsatisfying.  It 
is  a  domestic  truism  that  one  never  wearies  of  good  home-made 
bread.  The  stale  crusts  thereof  have  more  flavor  and  nutritive 
power  than  the  baker's  loaf. 

That  there  are  cooks  who  can  never  learn  to  make  really  ex- 
cellent bread  is  an  accepted  proverb.  I  have  a  sickening  mem- 


330  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

ory  of  a  month  passed  in  a  household  where  this  chronic  inabil- 
ity was  condoned  by  an  otherwise  strict  mistress.  Delilah,  the 
colored  queen  of  the  kitchen,  had  mastered  every  other  secret  of 
excellent  cookery.  Her  muffins,  griddle-cakes,  batter-bread, 
and  "  pones  "  were  delicious  of  their  kind.  Three  or  four  va- 
rieties of  these  smoked  every  morning  and  evening  upon  the 
bountiful  board.  It  was  a  warm  summer,  and  a  stomach  used 
to  abstinence  in  the  matter  of  hot  viscidity,  especially  when  the 
owner  thereof  came  down  languid  and  headachy  to  breakfast  af- 
ter a  torrid  night,  rebelled  actively.  At  the  end  of  a  fortnight, 

I  wrote  secretly  home  for  a  loaf  of  cold  bread,  and  devoured  it 
surreptitiously  between  meals  in  my  own  chamber.    Delilah  died, 
as  she  had  lived,  in  the  complacent  persuasion  that  "some  folks 
can't  make  light  bread  nohow." 

My  own  experience  in  altering  the  views  of  cooks  upon  this 
point  has  been  pleasingly  successful.  The  "toughest  case" 
came  to  me  when  I  had  established  the  fact  in  my  own  mind 
that  I  had  served  my  generation  long  enough  in  the  matter  of 
training  would-be  cooks.  Henceforward  I  would  engage  none 
but  such  as  were  already  grounded  in  the  faith  and  reasonably 
skilful  in  the  practice  of  the  culinary  art.  Anastasia  Brady 

I 1  filled  the  bill ' '  in  much  the  same  style  as  Delilah  had  in  her 
day.     She  deserved  the  description  she  had  given  of  herself  as 
"  a  most  an  illigant  soup-maker  ;  "  her  management  of  meats  and 
vegetables  left  nothing  to  be  desired  ;  in  sweets  she  was  satisfac- 
tory;   her   "pop-overs"   melted  in  the  mouth;    and  she  had 
sense  enough  to  round,  not  to  heap,  the  teaspoon  with  Cleve- 
land's Baking  Powder  in  manufacturing  quick  biscuits.     Her 
semi-weekly  loaves  were  solid  and  stiff,  and  stuck  to  the  teeth 
when   masticated.       I   broke  my  rule,  and  prepared,   nothing 
doubting,  to  teach  her  the  art  of  bread-making.     She  was  will- 
ing ;  she  was  ready-witted  ;  in  all  things  else  she  was  dexterous. 
She  repeated  the  directions  I  gave  her  with  intelligent  delibera- 
tion, and  returned  cheerfully  to  her  work.     I  had  instructed  her 
verbally  how  to  raise  the  dough  with  potato-sponge.     Her  next 
production  looked  like  a  lax  variety  of  the  rock  known  as  "  pud- 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  331 

ding-stone,"  or  a  pale  species  of  fruit-cake.  It  was  lumpy,  it 
was  heavy,  it  was  clammy.  It  went,  untasted,  to  the  pigs.  I 
never  inquired  if  they  ate  it. 

I  tied  on  a  broad  apron  and  descended  in  person  to  the 
kitchen.  Investing  the  operation  with  such  decent  solemnity  as 
might  befit  a  religious  rite,  I  made  potato-sponge,  set  it,  in  due 
season  worked  in  a  measured  quantity  of  flour  ;  after  the  batch 
was  puffy  and  had  cracked  all  over  the  floury  surface,  I  divided 
it  into  loaves,  put  them  into  pans  ;  waited  to  see  them  light ;  set 
them  with  my  own  hands  in  the  oven,  and  presto  !  as  the  jugglers 
say,  Bread  !  It  was  soft,  spongy,  and  delicious,  and  did  not  go 
far.  In  thirty-six  hours  the  bread-box  was  empty,  and  Anastasia 
craved  earnestly  the  privilege  of  making  the  next  batch  herself. 
I  superintended  the  work  in  each  stage.  Result  again — Bread. 

Happy  Anastasia  now  threw  away  the  corks,  *>.,  my  personal 
supervision,  and  plunged  boldly  into  the  deep  water  of  inde- 
pendent action.  I  did  not  see  the  sponge,  or  the  earlier  form  of 
the  dough  it  was  expected  to  raise.  Returning  home  at  eleven 
o'clock  at  night  from  an  all  day  and  evening  absence,  I  discovered 
Anastasia  sitting  up  with  her,  as  yet,  unbaked  dough.  It  was  as 
flatly  lifeless  as  the  poor  girl's  spirits,  after  twenty-four  hours  of 
trial  and  waiting. 

"  I'm  allers  that  onlooky  wid  me  bread,  mem  !  "  sobbed  the 
unhappy  experimentalist.  "  There's  a  spell  on  me." 

My  own  next  lesson  was  from  what,  compared  with  my  thir- 
ty odd  years  of  housewifery,  was  very  like  teaching  out  of  the 
mouths  of  babes  and  sucklings.  A  young  housekeeper  with  a 
head  upon  her  shoulders,  and  eyes  in  the  head,  with  a  brain  back 
of  them,  told  me  of  a  similar  case,  and  how  she  conquered  cir- 
cumstances. She  had  invented  a  "  bread -maki ng-made-easy  " 
process  for  the  benefit  of  such  spell-bound,  unlucky  specimens 
as  my  latest  incumbent,  having  had  one  of  the  same  kind  to 
deal  with.  She  gave  me  the  recipe,  and  I  straightway  repaired 
to  Anastasia's  dominions.  Her  brow  blackened  at  the  word 
"bread."  She  was  mortified,  sore,  resentful  of  destiny,  and 
obstinately  hopeless  as  to  further  endeavors. 


332  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

"Listen  !  "  I  said,  gently.  "  Here  is  something  I  want  to 
try.  It  is  never  too  late  to  improve  one's  self  in  anything.  I 
am  an  old  housekeeper,  but  I  learn  something  every  day." 

At  my  order  she  sifted  two  quarts  of  best  family  flour  into  a 
bowl  with  a  half  teaspoonful  of  salt  and  a  teaspoonful  of  white 
sugar.  She  heated  almost  to  scalding  a  pint  of  milk,  with  a 
heaping  teaspoonful  of  butter ;  added  to  it  a  pint  of  boiling 
water,  and  let  the  mixture  become  lukewarm  before  pouring  it 
into  a  hole  made  in  the  sifted  flour.  With  milk  and  water  went 
half  a  cupful  of  blood-warm  water,  in  which  half  a  cake  of  com- 
pressed yeast  had  been  dissolved,  until  not  a  rough  grain  was  to 
be  seen.  The  mass  was  worked  with  a  wooden  spoon  to  a  soft 
dough,  then  turned  upon  a  board  and  kneaded  faithfully  for  ten 
minutes  before  it  was  set  to  rise  in  a  bread-pan  with  a  perforated 
cover  and  left  in  a  warm  corner.  In  six  hours  it  was  ready  to 
be  made  into  loaves.  The  dough  was  divided  into  three  equal 
parts ;  each  kneaded  for  five  minutes  and  put  into  a  well- 
greased  pan ;  a  clean  cloth  was  thrown  over  all  and  they  were 
left  alone  for  another  hour  before  baking. 

The  result  was  eminently  satisfactory,  and  henceforward  we 
had  sweet,  light,  wholesome  bread  as  long  as  Anastasia  lived  sin- 
gle and  with  us.  I  hope  and  believe,  that,  as  a  married  house- 
keeper, she  continues  to  esteem  it  less  troublesome,  as  it  is  cer- 
tainly more  economical  and  nutritious  to  spend  half  an  hour 
twice,  or  even  three  times,  a  week  in  making  bread,  than  to  send 
' '  just  around  the  corner  ' '  for  refined  sawdust. 

Another  easy  recipe  for  the  family  loaf  has  been  laid  upon  my 
desk  since  I  began  this.  A  housekeeper  writes : 

"  I  had  a  horror  of  the  trouble  and  time  spent  in  bread -mak- 
ing until  a  neighbor  showed  me  how  to  overcome  my  difficulties. 
I  get  half-a-gill  of  baker's  yeast,  or  dissolve  half  a  cake  of  com- 
pressed yeast  in  warm  water  and  put  it  into  a  glass  quart  jar.  Into 
this  I  pour  a  pint  of  the  water  in  which  I  boil  potatoes  for  dinner 
(lukewarm),  and  leave  it  to  work  in  a  pretty  warm  place.  In  a 
few  hours  it  is  all  white  and  frothy  and  running  over  the  top  of 
the  jar.  I  work  up  two  quarts  of  flour,  a  little  salted,  with  it. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  333 

Sometimes  I  take  more  flour  and  add  the  rinsings  of  the  quart 
jar,  using  about  half  a  cupful  of  warm  water  for  this.  I  stir  it  up 
well,  and  only  knead  it  long  enough  to  get  it  into  shape  ;  cover 
it  up  in  the  bread-bowl,  and  when  it  is  light,  cut  into  loaves 
and  set  to  raise.  My  bread  is  delightful — as  all  my  family  will 
tell  you.  You  must  have  the  best  family  flour  for  it.  Won't  you 
try  my  way  ? ' ' 

I  have  not — as  yet — but  I  should  like  to  have  some  discour- 
aged housemother  give  both  recipes  a  fair  test,  and  report  the 
result.  M.  H. 

YEAST. 

Almost  every  hamlet  has  now  a  "store"  where  compressed 
yeast  can  be  bought — nominally  fresh — daily.  One  of  many 
threadbare  jests  at  the  commuter's  expense  is  that  of  the  man 
who  arose  suddenly  in  a  crowded  suburban  train  and  called  out, 
as  to  an  acquaintance  at  the  far  end  of  the  car:  "  O,  I  say,  did 
you  get  that  yeast-cake  for  your  wife?"  Forty  out  of  fifty 
startled  commuters  instinctively  put  their  hands  to  their  pockets. 

"Back  in  the  country"  homemade  yeast  is  still  a  family 
"  must  have."  Dried  yeast-cakes  cannot  be  depended  upon  and 
yeast  powders  are  a  delusive  snare  of  worse  than  uncertain  age. 
The  honest,  genuine  article  is  easily  made,  and  the  peace  of 
mind  it  insures  is  worth  ten  times  the  time  and  trouble  expended 
upon  it. 

HOP  YEAST. 

Boil  six  medium-sized  potatoes,  peeled  and  quartered,  and  a 
handful  of  dried  hops — the  latter  tied  up  in  a  bit  of  mosquito  net- 
ting— in  two  quarts  of  water,  cold  when  they  go  in  and  heated 
rapidly  to  a  boil.  Cook  until  the  potatoes  are  soft  and  begin  to 
break.  Drain  them  in  a  colander,  returning  hops  and  water  to 
the  fire,  and  rub  the  potatoes  through  the  holes  in  the  colander 
into  a  bowl.  Work  into  them  while  hot  four  tablespoonfuls  of 
flour  and  two  of  white  sugar,  moistening,  as  you  go  on,  with  the 
boiling  hop-tea  left  on  the  fire.  Squeeze  the  bag  to  get  out 
the  last  strong  drops.  Let  the  mixture  become  almost  cold — 


334  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

just  blood-warm — before  adding  four  tablespoonfuls  of  lively 
yeast  or  a  yeast  cake  dissolved  in  warm  water.  Turn  all  into  an 
open  wide-mouthed  jar  to  "  work,"  and  set  in  a  moderately 
warm  place.  When  the  bubbles  cease  to  rise,  bottle  and  cork 
tightly,  or  put  into  jars  with  close  tops,  and  keep  in  the  refrig- 
erator or  a  cold  cellar. 

When  you  wish  to  use  it,  send  to  the  cellar  or  refrigerator  for 
it,  pouring  out  what  is  needed,  and  recorking,  or  sealing,  with- 
out bringing  the  jar  into  the  kitchen.  It  will  keep  good  as  long 
as  it  lasts,  if  guarded  in  this  way.  There  is  no  better  yeast  than 
that  made  by  this  recipe,  brought  from  England  a  hundred  years 
ago. 

HOME-MADE  BREAD  SET  WITH  A  "SPONGE." 

In  winter  this  is  the  surer  method  of  insuring  good  light,  sweet 
bread.  The  best  yeast  is  coy  when  the  thermometer  runs  low,  and 
the  "  best  family  flour  "  has  then  moods  and  variations  of  tenses. 

Potato  sponge  is  made  by  boiling  and  mashing  potatoes  (say 
four  potatoes  if  you  mean  to  use  three  quarts  of  flour)  and 
working  into  them  while  hot  a  tablespoonful  of  butter,  or  of  cot- 
tolene,  and  the  same  quantity  of  sugar.  Stir  until  smooth,  thin- 
ning with  three  cups  of  lukewarm  water.  Beat  into  this  two 
cupfuls  (a  pint)  of  sifted  flour,  and  lastly,  four  tablespoonfuls  of 
yeast,  or  half  of  a  yeast-cake  which  has  been  dissolved  in  warm 
water.  Throw  a  cloth  over  the  sponge,  or  if  your  bread-bowl 
has  a  perforated  cover,  put  that  on,  and  set  to  rise  four  hours  in 
summer,  six  hours,  or  overnight,  in  winter.  In  summer,  add  a 
little  soda  to  the  sponge. 

When  ready  for  use  the  sponge  should  be  light  and  the  sur- 
face rough  with  air-bubbles.  Have  ready  a  dry,  clean  bread- 
tray  or  bowl,  sift  two  quarts  and  a  pint  of  flour  into  it  with  a 
tablespoonful  of  fine  salt.  Make  a  deep  hollow  in  the  middle 
and  pour  into  this  the  sponge.  Work  down  the  flour  into  it 
with  a  spoon  as  long  as  you  can  use  it  easily,  then  flour  your 
hands  and  plunge  them  in. 

Mix  the  dough  as  soft  as  it  can  be  handled  with  any  degree 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  335 

of  comfort.  Stiff  dough  does  not  rise  readily,  and  stiff  bread 
is  unpleasant  to  sight,  teeth,  taste,  and  stomach.  Rinse  out 
the  bowl  in  which  the  sponge  was  set  with  warm  water,  and  add 
this  to  the  dough  if  too  stiff.  When  you  can  manage  it,  begin 
to  knead.  Scrape  away  all  the  dough  from  the  sides  or  bottom 
of  the  tray  or  bowl,  sprinkling  flour  beneath  to  prevent  re-attach- 
ment. Make  a  ball  of  the  dough  and  knead  it  with  your  fists 
and  the  balls  of  the  palms,  always  toward  the  middle  of  the  ball, 
but  turning  and  tossing  this  that  the  kneading  may  reach  every 
part.  Fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  should  give  you  an  elastic 
mass,  that  rebounds  from  a  blow,  and  fills  up  the  holes  made  by 
your  finger  the  instant  it  is  withdrawn.  Form  the  dough  into 
a  round,  firm  ball  in  the  bottom  of  the  bowl,  sprinkle  flour  over 
the  top,  put  on  the  perforated  cover,  or  throw  a  cloth  over  the 
bowl,  and  set  in  a  moderately  warm  place  out  of  possible  draughts, 
to  rise.  It  should  swell  to  double  the  original  bulk  in  four 
hours  in  summer — perhaps  sooner.  In  winter  give  it  half  as 
long  again.  For  the  second  kneading  use  a  pastry-board. 
Flour  it  evenly  all  over,  take  out  the  risen  dough  when  you  have 
coated  your  hands,  and  toss  it  upon  the  board.  Knead  rapidly 
and  vigorously  for  ten  minutes.  It  will  be  easier  work  this 
time,  since  the  elastic  dough  responds  readily  to  your  treatment, 
seeming  to  rise  under  your  very  eyes.  Make  it  into  as  many 
loaves  as  you  desire,  and  set  for  the  final  rising  in  single  pans, 
well-greased,  or  mould  into  oblong  rolls  and  set  several,  close  to- 
gether, in  one  large  pan.  Cover  with  a  light  cloth  and  let  the 
loaves  rise  for  one  hour  longer.  Each  loaf  should  double  its 
size,  so  do  not  fill  the  pans  more  than  half-full. 

Now  comes  what  is  really  the  crucial  test  of  good  bread-mak- 
ing— to  wit,  the  baking.  Ovens  have  tempers  of  their  own, 
contingent  upon  fire,  wind,  and  weather,  and  sometimes,  as 
many  a  grievously  tormented  cook  will  aver,  "  upon  just  nothing 
at  all  but  natural  contrariness."  Study  your  range  and  calculate 
shrewdly  upon  its  disposition,  its  "  tricks  and  its  manners," 
before  you  undertake  to  bake  a  batch  of  bread.  Brains  and 
patience  carry  the  day  with  the  most  perverse  conditions. 


336  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

Have  an  even  fire.  To  replenish  the  grate  while  the  bread  is 
"  in  "  is  downright  ruin.  It  is  almost  as  bad  to  begin  baking 
with  a  low  fire  and  allow  it  to  come  up  very  rapidly.  Put  a 
tablespoonful  of  flour  upon  a  tin  plate  and  set  it  at  the  back  of 
the  oven  before  putting  in  your  loaves.  Should  it  be  lightly 
colored  in  five  or  six  minutes,  put  in  the  bread.  When  it  has 
risen  to  the  edge  of  the  pan — a  fact  you  must  ascertain  by  furtive 
peeps,  holding  the  door  open  a  little  way  and  closing  quickly — 
cover  with  brown  or  white  paper  of  light  weight.  Never  use 
printed  paper.  This  will  prevent  the  premature  formation  of  a 
hard  crust  which  would  effectually  check  a  further  rise,  and  leave 
heavy  streaks  in  the  loaf.  Fifteen  minutes  before  drawing  the 
bread  from  the  oven,  uncover  and  brown.  One  hour  should  suf- 
fice for  a  loaf  containing  a  quart  of  flour. 

Reverse  the  pan  upon  a  clean  cloth,  and  prop  the  loaves  deftly 
upon  one  edge  that  the  air  may  get  at  all  sides.  When  quite 
cold,  put  into  the  bread-box  and  cover  with  a  thin  cloth.  This 
same  bread-box  or  crock  should  be  scalded  and  sunned  before  the 
new  baking  goes  into  it. 

These  are  the  fundamental  rules  for  mixing,  kneading,  and  bak- 
ing bread.  Once  mastered,  they  make  comparatively  easy  the 
various  processes  of  making  fancy  breads,  biscuits,  etc. 

GRAHAM  BREAD. 

Make  a  sponge  as  for  white  bread,  and  when  light  pour  it  into 
a  tray  into  which  you  have  sifted  two  parts  of  Graham  flour,  one 
scant  third  of  white,  and  to  make  up  the  full  measure,  a  handful 
of  Indian  meal,  with  a  teaspoonful  of  salt.  Mix  and  knead  as 
you  would  white  bread,  but  add  for  two  quarts  of  the  flour  half 
a  cupful  of  molasses.  Make  the  dough  very  soft  and  set  it  to 
rise.  It  will  not  come  up  so  readily  as  all-white  flour  would,  so 
give  it  half  an  hour  longer.  Knead  again  when  it  has  doubled 
the  original  bulk,  and  set  it  down  in  round  pans  for  the  last  ris- 
ing. Bake  in  a  steady  oven,  and  a  little  longer  than  you  would 
bake  white  loaves.  Be  watchful  that  it  does  not  burn. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  337 

WHOLE-WHEAT  FLOUR* 

A  word  explanatory  of  the  term  is  expedient  here.  Without 
entering  into  technicalities  of  chemistry  or  dietetics,  we  set  the 
case  before  the  non-scientific  reader  in  the  words  of  A.  H. 
Church,  M.A.,  F.R.S.,  Professor  of  Chemistry  in  the  Royal 
Academy  of  Arts  in  London. 

"Whole  wheaten  meal"  [which  we  call  "flour"]  "is  now 
specially  prepared  by  grinding  the  whole  grain  without  effecting 
any  subsequent  separation  of  the  resulting  product  into  various 
grades  according  to  degrees  of  fineness  or  coarseness.  A  true 
brown  bread  or  true  wheat-meal  bread  may  be  obtained  with 
this  meal.  In  such  bread  all  the  nutrients  of  the  grain  will  be 
present,  the  albuminoids,  the  oil  or  fat,  and  the  mineral  matters 
existing  in  larger  proportions  than  in  bread  made  from  fine  white, 
or  even  from  *  seconds  '  flour.  The  nitrogenous  matters  which 
are  not  albuminoid  will,  of  course,  also  be  present  in  larger  pro- 
portion in  the  whole-meal  bread." 

The  best  brands  of  whole-wheat  flour  in  this  country  are  made 
from  the  grain  after  the  outer  husk  or  bran  has  been  removed. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  to  the  intelligent  housewife  that 
the  white  family  flour  in  popular  use  is  three-quarters  starch  with 
a  fraction  of  malt  sugar.  Our  chemist  remarks,  without  com- 
ment, that  "one  pound  of  fine  wheaten  flour  cannot  produce 
more  than  one  and  two-third  ounces  of  the  dry,  nitrogenous 
substance  of  muscle  or  flesh." 

We  eliminate  by  "  bolting,"  the  most  valuable  elements  of 
this,  our  principal  farinaceous  food. 

The  introduction  of  whole-wheat  flour  into  our  kitchens  is  the 
result  of  a  resolute  effort  on  the  part  of  our  wisest  lecturers  upon 
food  and  the  methods  of  preparing  the  same  for  human  con- 
sumption, to  open  the  eyes  of  parents  and  caterers  to  the  neces- 
sity of  building  up  natural  forces  by  natural  agencies.  In  other 
words  to  teach  those  who  feed  growing  bodies  and  sustain  the 
forces  of  bodies  already  matured  how  to  supply  us  with  food  con- 
venient for  us. 

22 


338  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

Bread  made  of  whole-wheat  flour  is  palatable  as  well  as  whole- 
some and  deserves  its  growing  popularity. 

WHOLE-WHEAT  FLOUR  BREAD. 

Break  up  a  cake  of  compressed  yeast  in  half  a  cupful  of  luke- 
warm water  ;  or  if  you  use  yeast,  measure  half  a  cupful  into  a 
bowl.  Into  another  vessel  pour  two  cupfuls  of  milk,  and  upon 
this  a  like  quantity  of  boiling  water.  Stir  into  the  liquid  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  salt  and  one  of  sugar,  and  let  it  stand  until  it  is  a 
little  more  than  blood- warm,  when  add  to  the  yeast.  Mix  with 
this  a  quart  of  whole-wheat  flour,  or  enough  to  make  a  good  bat- 
ter. Beat  with  a  wooden  spoon — up-strokes  that  touch  bottom 
every  time — for  five  or  six  minutes.  The  batter  should  be  as  light 
as  a  souffle.  Begin  now  to  beat  in  more  flour  and  keep  it  up 
until  you  have  a  soft  dough  that  you  can  manage  with  floured 
hands.  Flour  your  kneading-board,  put  the  dough  upon  it. 
Knead  ten  minutes,  and  set  to  rise  with  a  light  cloth  thrown 
over  it.  It  should  be  light  in  three  hours.  Knead  quickly  for 
five  minutes,  make  into  loaves,  and  when  these  are  light,  bake,  if 
the  loaves  are  small,  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  if  large,  one  hour. 

BOSTON  BROWN  BREAD. 

Set  a  sponge  overnight  as  directed  in  recipe  for  white  bread. 
In  the  evening  sift  into  your  bread.-bowl  two  cupfuls  of  Graham, 
or  of  rye  flour  with  the  same  quantity  of  Indian  meal,  two  tea- 
spoonfuls  of  salt  and  an  even  teaspoonful  of  soda.  Mix  soft  with 
the  sponge  and  when  all  the  batter  is  in,  beat  in  well  four  table- 
spoonfuls  of  molasses.  Knead  thoroughly,  and  let  it  rise  six  hours. 
Knead  again,  make  into  loaves,  and  set  in  greased  pans  for  another 
hour's  rising.  Bake  from  three  to  four  hours  in  a  slow  oven. 

This  is  the  old  New  England  "  rye' n' Injun  "  bread  that  used 
to  stay  in  the  brick  oven  all  of  Saturday  night. 

STEAMED  BOSTON  BROWN  BREAD. 

Sift  together  into  a  bowl  a  pint  each  of  yellow  corn-meal,  of 
white  flour,  and  of  Graham,  and  pour  upon  them  a  pint  of  boil- 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  339 

ing  water.  Warm  a  pint  of  milk  slightly  and  dissolve  in  it  a 
level  teaspoonful  of  soda,  with  a  like  quantity  of  salt,  lastly  a 
small  cupful  of  molasses.  Pour  this  gradually  upon  the  scalded 
meal  and  flour,  beat  hard,  for  ten  minutes,  and  pour  into  a  round 
mould  that  has  a  close  top.  Set  in  a  pot  of  boiling  water  and 
cook  steadily  for  three  hours.  Take  off  the  cover,  set  the  mould 
in  a  shallow  pan  of  hot  water  and  leave  in  a  good  oven  half  an 
hour  to  dry  out  and  brown. 

QUICK  BOSTON  BROWN  BREAD. 

Two  cupfuls  of  Indian  meal ;  one  cupful  of  flour ;  one  small 
cupful  of  molasses ;  one  pint  of  milk ;  one  teaspoonful  of  salt  and 
one  of  saleratus.  Mix  well  and  rapidly.  Steam  three  hours. 
Eat  while  warm,  and  break  instead  of  cutting  it. 

BRAIDED  BREAD. 

Set  the  sponge  and  make  the  dough  as  already  directed. 
When  the  dough  has  doubled  its  first  size,  knead  and  divide  into 
six  equal  parts.  Roll  each  piece  lightly  into  a  long  rope  one 
inch  in  diameter,  handling  as  little  as  possible.  When  you  have 
six  strands  of  equal  width  and  length  make  them  into  two  loose, 
three-strand  braids ;  pinch  the  ends  together  to  keep  them  from 
untwisting,  and  let  them  rise  for  an  hour.  Brush  them  with 
beaten  white  of  an  egg  before  they  go  into  the  oven.  Bake 
about  forty-five  minutes. 

HORSE-SHOE  ROLLS  OR  CRESCENTS. 

Roll  a  good  bread -dough  into  a  sheet  less  than  half-an-inch 
thick,  cut  this  into  squares  five  or  six  inches  wide,  and  this  again 
into  triangles.  Roll  each  three-cornered  bit  up,  from  the  base  or 
broadest  part,  bringing  the  point  on  the  outside  of  the  roll,  and 
curve  the  points  toward  one  another,  making  a  pointed  horseshoe. 
Lay  in  a  floured  baking-pan ;  let  them  rise  fifteen  minutes,  brush 
with  white  of  egg  and  bake. 


340  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

A  little  practice  will  enable  you  to  grace  your  table  with  cres- 
cents as  comely  as  those  bought  from  the  baker. 


GRISINL 

Make  a  good  bread-dough  and  before  kneading  for  the  second 
rising,  work  in  a  tablespoonful  of  melted  butter  for  each  quart  of 
flour  represented  in  the  dough.  After  it  has  risen  for  the  second 
time  roll  it  into  a  sheet  less  than  half  an  inch  thick.  If  the 
quantity  be  large  divide  the  dough  into  sections  before  rolling  it, 
that  you  may  handle  it  conveniently.  Cut  this  thin  sheet  into 
strips  half  an  inch  wide  and  eight  or  ten  inches  long.  Roll  each 
of  these  lightly  with  a  cool  hand  into  sticks  not  larger  than  a 
cedar  pencil ;  lay  within  a  floured  baking-  pan,  let  them  stand 
covered  for  ten  minutes,  and  bake  in  a  moderate  oven  to  a  pale 
brown. 

FINGER  ROLLS 

are  made  in  the  same  way,  but  are  twice  as  thick  and  only 
half  as  long  as  the  Grisini.  One  or  both  are  indispensable  at 
luncheon  parties  and  high-teas.  Pass  with  bouillon  and  tea. 

VIENNA  ROLLS. 

Set  a  sponge  and  make  out  dough  as  before  instructed.  Work 
into  it  after  kneading  twenty  minutes  a  tablespoonful  of  warmed 
butter  for  each  quart  of  flour  and  let  it  rise  four  hours.  Knead 
again  and  let  it  stand  two  hours  longer.  Then  make  into  balls 
twice  .as  large  as  a  walnut ;  set  them  in  a  baking-pan,  but  not 
near  enough  to  each  other  to  touch,  and  when  they  have  risen  to 
twice  the  first  size,  make  a  clean  gash  in  each  an  inch  deep. 
Brush  with  milk  and  sugar  or  with  white  of  egg  and  bake. 

TEA  ROLLS.    (No.  J.) 

Sift  a  quart  of  flour  into  a  bowl  with  one  teaspoonful  of  fine 
salt  and  rub  or  chop  into  it  a  tablespoonful  of  butter.  Dissolve  a 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  341 

third  of  a  yeast-cake  in  warm  water  and  stir  it  into  a  cupful  of 
blood -warm  milk  (the  fresher  the  better)  with  a  good  tablespoon- 
ful  of  sugar.  Pour  this  into  the  hollowed  flour  end  mix  into  a 
thick  sponge.  Cover  and  leave  to  rise  for  six  hours.  Stir  it  up 
well  then  with  a  spoon,  and  two  hours  later  turn  out  upon  your 
kneading-board,  add  just  enough  flour  to  enable  you  to  work  it 
and  knead  it  two  minutes.  Cut  into  round  cakes,  butter  lightly 
one-half  of  each  and  fold  this  over  upon  the  other,  making  a  semi- 
circular piece.  Let  them  rise  for  two  hours,  and  bake  for  twenty 
minutes  in  a  brisk  oven. 

TEA  ROLLS.    (No.  2.) 

Rub  or  chop  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  into  a  quart  of  sifted 
flour  in  which  has  been  mixed  an  even  teaspoonful  of  salt.  Beat 
the  yolks  of  two  eggs,  and  stir  into  two  cupfuls  of  lukewarm  milk, 
or  enough  for  a  soft  dough,  and  work  into  the  flour  with  a  spoon. 
Dissolve  one-third  of  a  cake  of  yeast  in  a  little  warm  water,  add 
a  teaspoonful  of  white  sugar  and  stir  these  ingredients  into  the 
dough,  not  touching  it  with  your  hands,  but  making  the  wooden 
spoon  do  its  duty  valiantly.  Set  to  rise  for  four  hours  or  until 
very  light.  Roll  out  quickly,  tear  off  bits  and  mould  with  cool 
floured  hands  into  rolls,  handling  as  little  as  may  be.  Set  in 
rows  in  your  baking-pan,  just  touching  one  another ;  cover  with 
a  light  cloth  and  let  them  rise  for  half  an  hour  before  baking  in 
a  steady  oven.  They  should  be  eaten  while  fresh. 

BREAKFAST  ROLLS. 

Rub  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  or  cottolene  into  a  quart  of 
salted  flour,  wet  up  with  a  cupful  of  warm  milk  and  a  third  of  a 
yeast-cake  dissolved  in  warm  water ;  add  a  teaspoonful  of  white 
sugar ;  knead  twenty  minutes,  cover  and  let  it  rise  all  night.  In 
the  morning,  make  into  rolls,  let  them  rise  for  half  an  hour  and 
bake  half  an  hour  in  a  steady  oven.  Cover  with  paper  when 
they  have  been  in  the  oven  for  fifteen  minutes,  and  uncover  just 
in  time  to  brown  them  lightly. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


PULLED  BREAD.    (No.  J.) 

As  soon  as  a  loaf  of  fresh,  home-made  bread  is  cold  after  bak- 
ing, tear  off  the  crust  with  your  thumb  and  a  fork  until  every 
side  is  stripped  and  rough.  Set  in  an  open  oven  for  one  hour, 
then  close  the  door  and  let  the  bread  color  slowly  to  a  yellow- 
brown.  It  must  not  scorch.  Let  it  get  cold  and  crisp  before 
using.  Pass  with  bouillon,  coffee,  tea,  or  chocolate,  breaking  off 
pieces  instead  of  cutting. 

PULLED  BREAD.    (No.  2.) 

Tear  away  the  crust  from  a  loaf  and  pull  the  crumb  apart  in 
long  strips  from  top  to  bottom.  Begin  by  tearing  the  loaf  into 
halves,  then  into  quarters,  then  into  eighths,  if  you  would  have  the 
strips  uniform  in  size.  Dry  and  color  as  you  would  the  whole 
loaf. 

Fresh  rolls  are  nice,  stripped  of  crust  and  browned  lightly  until 
crisp  throughout.  The  bread  must  be  fresh.  It  will  keep  for 
days  after  it  is  "  pulled." 

SALLY  LUNN. 

Beat  four  eggs  very  light  and  stir  them  into  a  cupful  of  warm 
water  mixed  with  one  of  warm  milk.  Add  a  teaspoonful  of  salt 
and  half  as  much  soda,  with  half  a  cupful  of  melted  butter.  Pour 
the  mixture  upon  a  hollowed  quart  of  sifted  flour  in  a  bowl,  beat 
in  a  half  cake  of  yeast  dissolved  in  four  tablespoonfuls  of  warm 
water.  Whip  up  the  batter  for  five  minutes ;  put  into  a  well- 
greased  mould  ;  let  it  rise  for  six  hours,  or  until  very  light,  and 
bake  three-quarters  of  an  hour  in  a  steady  oven.  Put  paper  over 
it  when  it  has  been  fifteen  minutes  in  the  oven,  removing  it  to 
brown  ten  minutes  before  you  take  it  out.  Turn  out  upon  a  hot 
plate. 

This  is  the  "  one  and  only  genuine  "  recipe  for  the  time-hon- 
ored Sally  Lunn,  named,  as  Miss  Leslie  told  us  a  half  century 
ago,  for  the  inventor. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  343 

BAKING  POWDERS  AND  OTHER  METHODS  OF 
LEAVENING. 

Many  cooks  still  use  sour  milk  and  soda,  or  cream  of  tartar  and 
soda,  methods  of  leavening  which  at  the  very  best  are  uncertain 
and  wasteful  because  occasionally  the  whole  baking  raised  in  this 
way  must  be  thrown  away. 

No  cook  can  tell  just  how  sour  the  milk  is,  that  is,  the  amount 
of  acidity  it  contains,  and  therefore  trusts  to  "guess-work"  in 
putting  in  soda  to  neutralize  it. 

Cream  of  tartar  and  soda  are  better,  but  they  are  unsatisfac- 
tory, for  it  is  very  difficult  for  the  housewife  to  get  pure  cream  of 
tartar  and  it  varies  so  much  in  strength  that  the  cook  does  not 
know  just  how  much  soda  to  use.  If  she  uses  too  much,  yellow 
spots  appear  in  the  cake  or  biscuit.  If  she  does  not  use  enough, 
it  does  not  raise  batter  or  dough.  If  she  does  get  pure  cream  of 
tartar  it  is  difficult  to  get  the  exact  proportions.  Spoon  meas- 
ure, the  only  practical  measure  in  the  kitchen,  is  not  accurate ; 
it  requires  a  just  weight  to  produce  the  best  leavening  agent. 

A  dozen  years  ago  we  gave  up,  once  for  all,  the  use  of  the 
home-made  mixture  of  cream  of  tartar  and  soda,  and  we  find  as 
a  matter  of  every-day  experience  that  a  pure  baking  powder  is 
really  in  the  end  more  economical  and  better  in  every  respect 
than  the  old-fashioned  methods. 

In  the  preparation  of  chapters  upon  breads,  biscuits,  cakes, 
muffins,  etc. ,  for  this  work  we  have  found  it  necessary  (as  with 
"THE  MAJORITY  EDITION  OF  COMMON  SENSE  IN  THE  HOUSE- 
HOLD," published  in  1892)  to  choose  a  standard  baking  powder, 
the  use  of  which,  as  enjoined  in  the  recipes,  will  ensure  uniform 
results. 

Strength  and  excellence  in  such  compounds  vary  far  more  than 
in  different  brands  of  flour.  With  the  latter  the  cook  soon  learns, 
by  the  consistency  and  general  appearance  of  dough  and  batter, 
whether  to  hold  her  hand  or  to  increase  the  prescribed  quantity. 
Baking  powders  give  no  sign  until  the  fire  has  made  alteration 


344  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

impossible.  If  the  writer  of  the  recipe  has  Baking  Powder,  No. 
I,  in  mind  when  she  says  "Two  teaspoonfuls, "  and  the  cook 
uses  No.  2,  which  is  half — or  twice — as  strong,  failure  is  inevi- 
table. 

Furthermore,  boxes  bearing  the  same  brand  often  vary  in  qual- 
ity. When  first  opened,  certain  powders  are  powerful,  but  lose 
virtue  steadily  by  exposure,  until,  when  the  bottom  of  a  box  is 
reached,  three  spoonfuls  hardly  do  the  work  that  one  accom- 
plished a  fortnight  before.  Dampness  and  the  chemical  action 
of  the  air  explain  and  perhaps  palliate  this  defect.  There  is  no 
excuse  for  the  fact  that  the  cook  must  learn  with  the  using  of 
each  new  package  of  a  compound  she  has  handled  for  years  how 
much  she  may  safely  put  into  her  flour. 

At  least  eight  well-advertised  baking  powders  have  been  pa- 
tiently tested  in  our  kitchens  within  the  past  fifteen  years  in  the 
effort  to  select  one  that  might  be  conscientiously  recommended 
as  sure  and  safe,  to  our  constituency.  In  adopting  as  our  stand- 
ard Cleveland's  Baking  Powder  we  are  moved  by  the  following 
considerations : 

1.  During  the  six  years  in  which  it  has  been  in  regular  use  in 
our  households  we  have  never  opened  a  box  that  was  not  in  per- 
fect condition. 

2.  Every  box  has  been  of  like  quality  with  all  others  bearing 
the  stamp  of  this  company. 

3.  A  rounded  teaspoonful  is  equal  in  strength  and  efficiency 
to  a  heaping  teaspoonful  of  any  other  baking  powder  tried  by 
us. 

4.  Breads  and  cakes  raised  with  this  are  less  friable  than  those 
in  which  other  compounds  are  used,  and  remain  fresh  longer. 

5.  Careful  tests  have  failed  to  detect  in  this  powder  the  pres- 
ence of  ammonia,  alum,  or  other  deleterious  substances. 

6.  It  suffers  little  from  humidity  and  time.     On  two  occasions 
a  box  that  had  been  partially  emptied  and  left  inadvertently  in 
the  store-room  for  several  months  was  found  at  the  end  of  the 
time  uninjured  and  ready  to  do  its  work  satisfactorily. 

These  are  some  of  the  recommendations  to  housewifely  confi- 


THE  NATIOtfAL    COOK  BOOK  345 

dence  that  justify  us  in  naming  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder  as 
the  basis  of  such  articles  of  food  as  are  dependent  for  lightness 
and  digestibility  upon  effervescent  powders  or  other  volatile 

agencies. 

TEA  BISCUITS. 

Into  one  quart  of  flour  sift  a  teaspoonful  of  salt  and  two 
rounded  teaspoonfuls  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder.  Sift  twice 
to  ensure  thorough  incorporation  of  the  ingredients.  Chop  into 
the  flour  thus  prepared  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  and  one  of 
cottolene.  It  should  be  like  yellow  powder  when  ready  to  be 
mixed  with  three  cupfuls  of  milk  or  enough  to  make  a  soft 
dough.  Use  a  spoon  in  mixing.  It  should  be  just  stiff  enough 
to  handle.  Flour  your  pastry-board,  put  the  dough  upon  it, 
touching  only  with  the  tips  of  your  fingers,  roll  out  with  a  few, 
swift  strokes  of  the  rolling-pin  into  a  sheet  half  an  inch  thick, 
cut  into  round  cakes,  brush  the  tops  with  milk  in  which  has 
been  dissolved  a  little  sugar,  and  bake  in  a  quick  oven. 

The  excellence  of  these  tea-cakes  depends  largely  upon  light 
handling  and  swift  mixing  and  rolling.  They  should  look  rough 
on  top,  like  a  newly  laid  egg,  when  ready  for  the  oven. 

WHOLE-WHEAT  BISCUITS 
are  made  as  above,  substituting  whole-wheat  flour  for  bolted. 

GRAHAM  BISCUITS. 

Chop  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  and  as  much  cottolene  into 
two  cupfuls  of  Graham  flour  and  one  of  white,  which  have  been 
sifted  with  two  rounded  teaspoonfuls  of  Cleveland's  Baking 
Powder,  one  of  salt,  and  a  tablespoonful  of  white  sugar.  Wet 
to  a  soft  dough  with  three  cupfuls  of  warmed  milk,  roll  out  with 
as  little  handling  as  may  be  into  a  sheet  half  an  inch  thick. 
Cut  into  round  cakes,  prick  with  a  fork  and  bake. 

GRAHAM  GEMS. 

Pour  a  quart  of  warm  milk  into  a  bowl.  Stir  for  one  minute, 
without  really  beating  them,  four  eggs,  put  them  into  the  milk 


34^  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

with  one  tablespoonful  of  butter  and  one  of  cottolene  melted  to- 
gether and  a  teaspoonful  of  sugar.  Add  now  a  handful  at  a 
time,  three  cupfuls  of  Graham  flour,  or  enough  for  a  good  bat- 
ter. Beat  hard  for  five  minutes  with  quick,  deep,  upward  strokes, 
bringing  up  a  great  spoonful  every  time,  and  bake  in  greased 
gem-pans,  that  have  been  already  heated.  Bake  in  a  fierce 
oven. 

RUSK. 

Make  a  sponge  of  one  quart  of  milk  and  one  of  sifted  flour 
with  a  teaspoonful  of  salt  and  half  a  yeast-cake  dissolved  in  warm 
water.  Set  it  overnight,  or  for  five  hours,  and  when  light,  work 
in  a  cupful  of  butter  that  has  been  creamed  with  two  cupfuls  of 
powdered  or  fine  sugar,  and  three  well- whipped  eggs.  Add 
flour  to  enable  you  to  knead  it.  The  dough  should  be  very  soft 
and  kneaded  rapidly  for  ten  minutes.  Let  it  rise  for  four  hours, 
make  into  long  or  round  rolls,  set  them  close  together  in  a  bake- 
pan  and  leave  them  for  another  hour  before  baking.  Just  before 
you  take  them  from  the  oven  wash  the  tops  with  cream  and 
sugar. 

They  are  very  nice. 

SUNNYBANK  SCONES. 

Sift  two  rounded  teaspoonfuls  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder 
and  a  teaspoonful  of  salt  twice  with  a  scant  quart  of  flour  into  a 
bowl.  Chop  into  this  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  and  one  of  cot- 
tolene. Wet  with  a  pint  of  rich  milk  (unskimmed),  not  touch- 
ing with  your  hands.  Roll  out  into  a  sheet,  not  more  than  a 
quarter  of  an  inch  thick,  cut  into  rounds  with  a  biscuit-cutter, 
bake  quickly,  and  while  hot  tear  each  open  to  slip  a  bit  of  but- 
ter within  it.  Eat  hot. 

The  dough  should  be  very  soft  and  the  scones  lightly 
browned.  If  crisped  they  become  bis-cuit  (twice  cooked). 

SCOTCH  SCONES. 

Sift  twice  three  cupfuls  of  Scotch  oatmeal  and  one  cupful 
of  white  flour  with  a  heaping  teaspoonful  of  salt  and  two 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  347 

rounded  teaspoonfuls  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder.  Melt 
two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  with  one  of  sugar  in  a  pint  of 
boiling  milk,  and  pour  into  the  hollowed  flour.  Stir  with  a 
spoon  to  a  soft  dough,  turn  upon  a  floured  board,  roll  out  quick- 
ly and  lightly  into  a  sheet  less  than  an  eighth  of  an  inch  thick, 
cut  into  rounds  with  a  biscuit-cutter  and  bake  on  a  hot  griddle, 
turning  when  the  lower  side  is  brown.  Butter  and  eat  hot. 
They  are  also  good  cold. 

RICE  GEMS. 

Work  a  tablespoonful  of  melted  butter  into  a  cupful  of  cold 
rice  until  every  grain  has  been  reached.  Next  beat  in  two  well- 
whipped  eggs  with  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  and  thin  the  mixture 
with  a  cupful  of  warmed  milk.  Lastly,  add  a  cupful  of  flour 
sifted  twice  with  a  rounded  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking 
Powder ;  beat  hard  for  one  minute  and  pour  into  heated  and 
abundantly  greased  gem  -  pans ;  set  in  a  hot  oven.  Turn  out 
when  done,  and  eat  at  once. 

GLUTEN  GEMS. 

Beat  two  eggs,  yolks  and  whites  separately,  and  both  very 
light.  Stir  the  yolks  into  a  cupful  of  milk,  next  put  in  a  cupful 
of  gluten  flour  sifted  twice  with  half  a  teaspoonful  of  salt  and  a 
level  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder.  Beat  hard  for 
one  minute,  whip  in  the  frothed  whites  lightly,  and  bake  in  hot 
gem -pans  in  a  quick  oven. 

LOAF  CORN-BREAD. 

Two  heaping  cupfuls  of  Indian  meal ;  one  cupful  of  flour ; 
three  eggs  ;  two  and  a  half  cupfuls  of  milk  ;  one  tablespoonful  of 
cottolene ;  two  teaspoonfuls  of  white  sugar  ;  two  teaspoonfuls  of 
Cleveland's  Baking  Powder ;  one  teaspoonful  of  salt.  Beat  the 
eggs  very  thoroughly — whites  and  yolks  separately — melt  the 
cottolene,  sift  the  baking  powder  into  the  meal  and  flour  while 
yet  dry,  and  stir  this  in  at  the  last.  Beat  hard  one  minute. 
Bake  quickly  and  steadily  in  a  buttered  mould.  Half  an  hour 
will  usually  suffice. 


348  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

All  kinds  of  corn-bread  are  spoiled  if  allowed  to  cool  before 
they  are  eaten. 

BOILED  CORN-BREAD. 

Sift  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  one  of  soda,  and  two  tablespoon fuls 
of  white  sugar  twice  with  two  cupfuls  of  Indian  meal  and  one  of 
flour.  Stir  a  great  spoonful  of  melted  cottolene  into  two  and  a 
half  cupfuls  of  loppered  milk  or  of  buttermilk,  and  pour  this 
upon  the  flour  and  meal.  Beat  for  five  minutes  hard,  put  into  a 
well-greased  mould  with  a  close  top  and  set  in  a  pot  of  hot  water, 
taking  care  that  it  does  not  float.  Boil  steadily  for  two  hours, 
take  off  the  cover  and  set  in  a  moderate  oven  for  ten  minutes  to 
dry.  Turn  out  and  heat  until  hot.  It  is  very  good  and  wholesome. 

CORN-MEAL  MUFFINS, 

Sift  one  cupful  of  Indian  meal  (white)  with  half  a  cupful  of 
flour,  add  a  rounded  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder, 
half  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  and  a  tablespoonful  of  fine  sugar,  and 
sift  again  into  a  bowl.  Beat  two  eggs  light,  stir  them  with  a 
level  tablespoonful  of  melted  butter  into  two  cupfuls  of  milk  and 
pour,  gradually,  upon  the  prepared  meal  and  flour.  Beat  hard 
for  five  minutes,  and  bake  in  well-greased  pate-pans  or  other 
small  tins. 

MUSH  MUFFINS. 

Cook  a  scant  cupful  of  salted  corn-meal  in  two  cupfuls  of  boil- 
ing milk  in  a  double  boiler  for  one  hour,  stirring  often.  While 
still  hot  stir  in  a  tablespoonful  of  butter,  and  let  it  get  cool. 
Thin  then  with  a  cupful  of  cold  milk,  beat  to  a  smooth  batter, 
whip  in  the  beaten  yolks  of  three  eggs,  and  three  tablespoonfuls 
of  Graham  flour  in  which  has  been  well  mixed  half  a  teaspoonful 
of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder,  beat  for  another  minute,  whip  in 
the  stiffened  whites  of  the  eggs,  and  bake  in  small,  well-greased 
tins. 

BUTTERMILK  MUFFINS. 

Into  three  cupfuls  of  flour  sift  a  teaspoonful  of  soda  and  one 
of  salt.  Beat  two  eggs  very  light,  and  stir  them  into  three  cup- 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  349 

fuls  of  buttermilk  or  loppered  milk.  Beat  one  minute,  add  the 
prepared  flour,  and  whip  the  mixture  hard  for  another  minute. 
Bake  in  small  tins  or  in  muffin-tins,  in  a  quick  oven. 

MINUTE  MUFFINS. 

Sift  a  teaspoonful  of  salt  and  two  rounded  teaspoonfuls  of 
Cleveland's  Baking  Powder  twice  with  a  quart  of  flour.  Beat 
the  yolks  and  whites  of  three  eggs  separately  and  very  stiff;  mix 
the  yolks  with  three  large  cupfuls  of  milk,  and  stir  in  the  pre- 
pared flour  with  a  tablespoonful  of  melted  butter.  Beat  three 
minutes,  add  the  whites,  and  bake  at  once  in  rings  or  in  small 
tins. 

HOMINY  MUFFINS. 

Beat  into  two  cupfuls  of  cold,  boiled  small  hominy  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  cottolene  and  one  of  butter  melted  together.  When 
you  have  a  smooth  paste  stir  in  a  heaping  teaspoonful  of  salt 
and  two  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar ;  lastly,  the  yolks  of  three  beaten 
eggs.  Work  to  a  cream  before  adding  three  cupfuls  of  loppered 
milk,  and  when  this  is  well  mixed  in,  a  large  cupful  of  flour  in 
which  has  been  sifted  twice  a  teaspoonful  of  soda.  Finally,  whip 
in  the  stiffened  whites,  and  bake  in  small  tins,  well  greased. 
These  are  delicious  if  rightly  made  and  baked. 

OUR  GRANDMOTHERS'  SHORTCAKE. 

One  quart  of  sifted  flour ;  one  cupful  of  milk  and  the  same  of 
ice-cold  water ;  two  rounded  teaspoonfuls  of  Cleveland's  Baking 
Powder;  one  teaspoonful  of  salt;  one  tablespoonful  of  cotto- 
lene, and  one  (heaping)  of  butter.  Chop  the  shortening  into  the 
flour  in  a  wooden  tray,  having,  first  of  all,  sifted  baking  powder 
and  salt  three  times  with  the  flour,  that  no  suspicion  of  lumps 
or  streaks  of  any  of  the  powders  may  remain.  Much  sifting 
dries  and  lightens  the  flour  also.  When  the  shortening  is  thor- 
oughly mixed  in  and  the  heap  in  the  tray  looks  like  fine  sand, 
wet  up — still  using  the  chopper  in  preference  to  the  hands — with 
milk  and  water.  Work  quickly,  and  as  soon  as  the  dough  is 
manageable,  turn  it  out  upon  the  floured  pastry-board.  Roll 


35O  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

lightly  half  an  inch  thick,  fit  into  greased  jelly-cake  tins,  cutting 
off  ragged  edges  as  you  would  the  crust  of  a  pie,  and  bake  in  a 
brisk  oven.  When  done  to  a  nice  brown,  turn  out,  split  care- 
fully, and  butter  while  hot.  Cut  into  triangles  with  a  sharp 
knife  at  the  table.  These  cakes  are  very  nice  made  of  pre- 
pared flour,  in  which  case  use  no  baking  powder,  but  sift  the  flour 
twice. 

BREAKFAST  BERRY  SHORTCAKE. 

One  quart  of  sifted  flour ;  two  cupfuls  of  sour  or  buttermilk ; 
one-half  cupful  of  sugar ;  yolk  of  one  egg ;  one  teaspoonful  each 
of  salt  and  soda  sifted  three  times  with  the  flour ;  one  heaping 
tablespoonful  each  of  cottolene  and  butter  rubbed  into 
flour ;  one  quart  of  berries.  Roll  the  paste  into  a  sheet  half  an 
inch  thick,  fit  into  a  greased  baking-pan,  strew  thickly  with 
berries,  then  with  sugar,  and  cover  with  another  sheet  of  paste. 
Bake  to  a  nice  brown,  cut  into  squares,  butter,  and  eat  hot  with 
sugar. 

GRIDDLE-CAKES  AND  WAFFLES. 

If  you  can  possibly  lay  hold  of  a  soapstone  griddle,  become 
the  happy  possessor  forthwith,  and  keep  a  sharp  lookout  that 
Bridget,  Dinah,  or  Thekla  does  not  ruin  it  hopelessly  by  greas- 
ing it  surreptitiously.  Cakes  cooked  upon  soapstone  are  baked, 
not  fried,  hence  robbed  of  half  the  horrors  that  hang  around 
them  for  the  dyspeptic.  Keep  the  soapstone  clean,  heat  slow- 
ly before  using  it,  and  keep  every  drop  of  grease  aloof 
from  it. 

If,  however,  the  treasure  is  out  of  your  reach,  make  the  best 
of  what  you  have.  Wash  griddle  and  waffle-irons  thoroughly, 
after  using  them,  with  a  stiff  brush  and  plenty  of  hot  water  with 
a  tablespoonful  of  ammonia  in  each  quart.  Wipe  dry  and  put 
out  of  the  dust.  If  they  have  lain  disused  for  some  time,  rub 
well  with  dry  salt  before  heating  and  greasing.  For  the  latter 
purpose  use  a  little  cottolene  tied  up  in  a  bit  of  cloth,  or  a  bit 
of  fat  salt  pork  on  a  fork.  Do  not  flood  the  hot  surface  with  fat, 
but  put  on  just  enough  to  prevent  the  batter  from  sticking.  Try 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  35 1 

a  little  first  to  see  that  batter  and  griddle,  or  waffle-iron,  are  all 
right. 

BUCKWHEAT  CAKES. 

Sift  a  generous  teaspoonful  of  salt  through  a  quart  of  buck- 
wheat flour  which  has  been  mixed  with  a  great  handful  of  Indian 
meal.  Dissolve  a  yeast-cake  in  half  a  cupful  of  warm  water,  add 
two  tablespoon fuls  of  molasses  and  a  quart  of  warm  water,  pour 
into  the  hollowed  flour,  and  beat  hard  for  five  minutes.  Set 
aside  to  rise  overnight  in  a  warm  corner.  Should  the  batter 
smell  sour  in  the  morning,  correct  it  with  a  little  soda  dissolved 
in  warm  water  and  beaten  well  into  the  batter. 

You  can,  if  you  like,  substitute  oatmeal  for  the  Indian,  putting 
in  one-third  oatmeal  and  two-thirds  buckwheat. 

FLANNEL  CAKES.    (No.  J.) 

Rub  a  tablespooonful  of  butter  to  a  cream  with  one  of  sugar  ; 
add  two  well-beaten  eggs  and  two  cupfuls  of  milk.  Sift  a  rounded 
teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder  and  an  even  teaspoon- 
ful of  salt  twice  through  a  pint  of  flour  into  a  bowl.  Make  a 
hollow  in  the  middle,  pour  in  the  milk  and  eggs,  and  beat  just 
long  enough  to  make  a  smooth  batter. 

FLANNEL  CAKES.    (No.  2.) 

Sift  a  teaspoonful  of  salt  with  a  quart  of  flour  into  a  bowl  and 
wet  it  up  with  a  quart  of  milk.  Add  half  a  yeast-cake  dissolved 
in  warm  water,  beat  three  minutes,  and  let  the  sponge  rise  all 
night.  In  the  morning  add  a  tablespoonful  of  molasses  rubbed 
to  a  cream  with  one  of  melted  butter,  finally,  beat  in  two  well- 
whipped  eggs.  Should  the  batter  seem  too  thin,  thicken  with  a 
little  flour  before  the  eggs  go  in. 

This  is  an  excellent  recipe. 

FLANNEL  CAKES  WITHOUT  EGGS. 

Set  overnight.  Sift  together  with  a  teaspoonful  of  salt  two 
cupfuls  of  white  flour  and  one  of  Indian  meal,  wet  up  with  a 


352  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

quart  of  warmed  milk  and  four  tablespoonfuls  of  lukewarm  water, 
in  which  has  been  dissolved  half  a  cake  of  compressed  yeast.  Beat 
three  minutes  and  set  it  to  rise,  covered  lightly.  In  the  morning 
beat  in  a  tablespoonful  of  molasses  and  the  same  of  melted  cot- 
tolene.  Whip  together  for  three  minutes  and  bake. 
Good  and  economical. 

HOMINY  CAKES. 

Rub  two  cupfuls  of  cold  boiled  hominy  smooth,  beat  into  it  a 
tablespoonful  of  melted  cottolene,  then  three  well-whipped  eggs, 
a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  and  one  of  molasses  ;  next  a  quart  of  milk, 
and  lastly  a  cupful  of  sifted  flour.  Stir  for  two  minutes  and 
bake. 

RICE  CAKES 

are  made  according  to  the  foregoing  recipe,  substituting  rice  for 
hominy. 

BREAD-A3STD-MILK  CAKES. 

Soak  two  cupfuls  of  dry  crumbs  for  an  hour  in  a  quart  of  milk. 
Beat  in,,  then,  a  tablespoonful  of  melted  butter,  three  well-whipped 
eggs,  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  and  a  tablespoonful  of  molasses.  Mix 
thoroughly,  and  stir  in  lightly  and  swiftly  half  a  cupful  of  flour, 
with  which  has  been  twice  sifted  half  a  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's 
Baking  Powder. 

These  cakes  are  good  and  wholesome,  especially  when  baked 
upon  a  soapstone  griddle. 

INDIAN  MEAL  FLAPJACKS. 

Scald  two  cupfuls  of  Indian  meal  with  a  quart  of  boiling 
milk  and  let  it  get  lukewarm.  Beat  into  it  a  tablespoonful  of 
melted  cottolene  and  one  of  molasses,  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  two 
well-beaten  eggs,  and  when  these  ingredients  are  well  mixed,  thin 
to  the  consistency  of  buckwheat  batter  with  more  milk,  added 
alternately  with  half  a  cupful  of  flour  with  which  has  been  twice 
sifted  a  saltspoonful  of  soda,  t.e.,  a  quarter  teaspoonful. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  353 

WAFFLES. 

RISEN  WAFFLES. 

Sift  a  teaspoonful  of  salt  with  a  quart  of  flour  into  a  bowl. 
Wet  up  with  a  quart  of  milk  and  four  tables poonfu Is  of  warm 
water  in  which  you  have  dissolved  half  a  yeast-cake.  Beat  three 
minutes  hard,  cover  and  leave  all  night.  In  the  morning  beat 
in  two  well-whipped  eggs  and  a  tablespoonful  of  melted  butter, 
and  bake  in  waffle-irons. 

Try  a  little  of  the  batter  in  the  irons  when  they  are  heated  and 
greased  before  risking  a  whole  waffle. 

MINUTE  WAFFLES. 

Sift  together  twice  into  a  bowl  a  pint  of  flour,  a  rounded  tea- 
spoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  salt. 
Beat  the  yolks  and  whites  of  three  eggs  separately,  stir  the  yolks 
into  two  scant  cupfuls  of  milk  with  a  tablespoonful  of  melted 
cottolene.  Pour  this  into  the  hollowed  flour,  stir  together 
quickly,  add  the  stiffened  whites  and  bake. 

RICE  WAFFLES. 

Rub  a  cupful  of  cold  boiled  rice  smooth  with  a  tablespoonful 
of  melted  cottolene  and  a  teaspoonful  of  salt.  Beat  into  it  gradu- 
ally three  well -whipped  eggs ;  then  a  quart  of  milk  alternately 
with  handfuls  of  three  even  cupfuls  of  sifted  flour  which  have  been 
twice  sifted  with  a  rounded  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking 
Powder.  Do  not  get  the  batter  too  stiff. 

TOAST. 

Pare  the  crust  from  slices  of  stale  bread,  and  toast  delicately, 
avoiding  blackening  and  smoking.  Butter  lightly.  Toast 
soaked  in  butter  is  an  abomination. 

BAKED  TOAST. 

Pare  rather  thick  slices  of  stale  bread,  and  toast.     Have  on 
the  range  a  pan  of  boiling  water,  well  salted,  and  dip  each  slice 
23 


354  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

into  it  as  it  comes  from  the  toaster.  A  mere  dip  is  all  that  is 
needed,  but  the  water  must  be  boiling.  Arrange  the  dipped 
toast  in  a  pudding-dish,  sprinkle  each  layer  with  salt,  and  butter 
well.  When  all  are  in,  cover  with  boiling  milk.  If  you  can 
spare  a  little  cream  it  will  be  still  better.  Cover  and  set  in  a 
quick  oven  for  fifteen  minutes. 

The  peculiar  richness  of  this  dish  is  due  chiefly  to  the  baking. 
It  is  delicious  for  well  people  and  nutritious  for  invalids.  A  sin- 
gle round  of  toast,  dipped  in  boiling  salted  water,  buttered  and 
salted,  then  drowned  in  hot  cream,  covered  and  baked  until  it  is 
as  soft  as  jelly,  but  unbroken,  will  tempt  the  most  capricious  ap- 
petite, and  prove  as  digestible  as  it  is  tempting. 

TOMATO  TOAST. 

Pare  off  the  crust  from  slices  of  stale  bread,  toast,  and  as  each 
comes  from  the  fire,  dip  in  boiling  milk,  salted.  Pack  in 
layers  in  a  pudding-dish,  salt  and  butter  each  layer  and  pour  over 
it  a  few  spoonfuls  of  tomato  sauce,  strained  and  seasoned  with 
sugar,  butter,  pepper,  salt,  and  a  few  drops  of  onion-juice.  When 
the  dish  is  full  turn  the  sauce  over  all,  cover  and  set  for  ten  min- 
utes in  a  quick  oven.  There  should  be  enough  tomato  sauce  to 
make  the  toast  very  wet. 

A  good  dish  for  luncheon  or  supper. 


FAMILIAR  TALK. 

THE  "QUICK"  LUNCHEON. 

"  I  am  still  so  far  left  to  myself  as  to  take  beefsteak  for  my 
lunch." 

The  speaker  was  one  of  the  great  army  of  women  who  work 
for  their  living  outside  of  the  home.  The  topic  under  discussion 
was  the  midday  lunch.  One  girl  had  said  peanut  -  brittle 
and  a  pickle  checked  the  gnawings  of  hunger  for  her.  Another 
had  declared  her  adherence  to  those  good  old  stand-bys  of  the 
schoolgirl,  cream-puffs.  A  third  had  sustained  the  claims  of  pie 


THE   NATIONAL    COOfC  BOOK  355 

as  a  "  filler."  It  required  a  distinct  effort  of  moral  courage  for 
any  one  to  mention  so  homely  and  simple  an  article  of  diet  as 
steak  after  these  less  substantial  dainties,  and  it  was  evident  that 
its  advocate  had  stamped  herself  as  hopelessly  gross  and  material. 

While  the  lunch  question  may  be  frequently  and  fervently  de- 
bated from  the  stand-points  of  cheapness  and  palatableness,  there 
is  seldom  much  time  wasted  over  such  a  trifle  as  nutritive  values. 
Almost  never  is  thought  given  to  choosing  food  which  will  sup- 
ply specific  wastes.  The  woman  who  spends  her  time  in  active 
physical  labor,  the  woman  who  toils  in  an  occupation  which  is  a 
constant  strain  upon  the  nerves,  and  the  woman  who  exhausts 
her  brain  by  steady  and  concentrated  mental  work,  alike  stay 
the  cravings  of  hunger  in  the  noon  hour  by  "  pie  and  soda- 
water,"  by  pickles  and  ice-cream,  by  cream-puffs  and  caramels. 

For  a  long  time  patient  nature  submits  to  the  indignity.  The 
stomach  is  a  tough  muscle,  and  bears  much  abuse  without 
complaint,  or  with  only  an  occasional  murmur  or  writhing. 
But  it  is  composed  of  ordinary  human  tissues,  after  all ;  it  is 
not  a  cast-iron  or  gutta-percha  repository,  as  it  should  be  to  bear 
the  outrages  inflicted  upon  it.  The  time  comes  when  it  turns — 
turns  literally — when  that  exact  creditor,  the  body,  demands  a  strict 
settlement  of  long-standing  accounts.  Then  we  hear  that  So-and- 
so  is  a  "  martyr  to  dyspepsia,"  or  that  she  is  laid  up  with  nervous 
prostration,  or  that  she  has  "gone  all  to  pieces."  And  every 
one  wonders  what  could  have  been  the  cause  of  the  break-down. 

The  busy  worker  who  gives  her  best  thoughts  and  energies  to 
the  occupation  choice  or  circumstances  has  made  her  own,  is 
likely  to  wax  impatient  at  the  suggestion  that  she  should  bestow 
serious  consideration  upon  so  unimportant  a  matter  as  her  diet. 
Even  those  women  who  abjure  the  unholy  combinations  of  food 
just  enumerated  usually  select  their  meals  entirely  at  random,  or 
with  but  one  essential  qualification — that  they  shall  please  the 
taste.  Yet  here  is  just  the  point  where  a  little  present  care  may 
spare  them  much  future  inconvenience  and  even  suffering.  A 
small  amount  of  knowledge  of  the  specific  effects  of  certain  kinds 
of  food  will  go  far  toward  supplying  strength  and  repairing  wastes. 


356  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

For  example,  the  slight,  bloodless-looking  girl  who  is  always 
chilly  should  eat  meat  like  beef  or  mutton,  that  contains  good 
red  blood.  She  should  also  take  fats  and  starchy  foods  that  will 
produce  heat.  The  stout,  flabby  girl  does  not  need  the  starches, 
and  she  should  cut  sweets,  pastry,  and  white  bread  from  her  bill- 
of-fare.  She  may  eat  meats,  salads,  green  vegetables,  fresh  fruit. 
Neither  should  depend  upon  a  cup  of  strong  coffee  or  tea  at 
noon  to  brace  her  for  her  afternoon  toil.  That  stereotyped  re- 
freshment of  women,  a  cup  of  tea  and  a  piece  of  toast,  is  proba- 
bly as  poor  a  stand-by  as  any  working  woman  could  select.  A 
sandwich  and  a  glass  of  beer  would  be  far  more  sustaining. 

The  brain  worker  needs  phosphates.  She  should  supply  the 
demand  by  fish,  brown  bread,  whole-wheat  bread,  and  cereals. 
The  woman  who  does  hard  physical  labor  can  digest  food  that 
would  cause  distress  to  her  of  sedentary  habits.  The  former  can 
rely  upon  cheese  in  its  various  forms  and  will  find  chocolate 
nutritious  and  strengthening. 

It  is  a  great  mistake  to  fancy  that  nourishing  and  wholesome 
food  cannot  be  appetizing.  The  palate  that  craves  cakes,  can- 
dies, and  pastry  may  not  be  tickled  by  plainer  diet,  and  the  girl 
whose  ideal  of  an  agreeable  lunch  is  realized  in  coffee  and  "  sink- 
ers," may  turn  with  scorn  from  a  meal  that  makes  less  strain 
upon  digestion.  But  that  woman  is  hard  to  satisfy  who  cannot 
select  a  menu  that  will  be  at  once  pleasing,  easy  of  digestion,  and 
inexpensive.  Such  are,  eggs  in  their  many  styles,  fish  in  the 
variety  that  is  possible  on  the  sea-coast,  steak,  chops  (not  pork 
or  veal),  stews,  minces,  poultry,  bacon,  vegetables,  and  fruit, 
fresh  or  stewed. 

The  midday  meal  need  not  be  heavy.  A  light  lunch,  so  long 
as  the  food  is  all  of  it  wholesome,  will  stand  in  better  stead  the 
woman  who  must  work  in  the  afternoon  than  a  hearty  meal  which 
demands  so  much  of  the  force  of  the  body  to  digest  it  that  it 
leaves  no  energy  for  other  employment.  A  few  experiments  will 
teach  the  seeker  for  knowledge  what  article  of  diet  she  may 
safely  choose  and  what  she  must  leave  severely  alone. 

C.  T.  H. 


CAKES  AND  CAKE-MAKING. 

IN  Cake-  as  in  Bread-making  practical  knowledge  of  a  few  car- 
dinal rules  will  enable  the  cook  to  bring  forth  an  almost  infinite 
variety  of  sweets  in  this  line  of  culinary  adventure.  She  who  can 
make,  once  and  again,  good  cup  cake  is  equal  to  whatever  the 
layer-cake  species  may  offer  for  experiment.  The  filling  gives 
character  and  individuality  to  each  of  the  family.  Become 
proficient  in  the  manufacture  of  pound  cake,  and,  to  parody  Mr. 
Wegg,  "all  cake  is  open  to  you."  Recipes  many  and  divers 
are  only  suggestions  to  her  whose  sponge  cake  always  turns  out 
well,  whose  pound  cake  is  never  streaky,  or  her  jelly  cake -too 
stiff  or  too  friable. 

We  do  not,  then,  propose  to  clog  her  memory  and  these  pages 
with  a  host  of  mere  memoranda  of  the  fine  art.  By  the  help  of 
general  laws  herewith  submitted  even  the  Average  American 
Cook  ought  to  be  able  to  attain  excellence,  if  not  perfection,  in 
what  is  a  much  simpler  branch  of  cookery  than  salads,  sauces, 
or  even  soups. 

1.  Before  mixing  the  cake,  weigh  or  measure  the  ingredients 
as  carefully  as  if  you  had  never  made  a  cake  before,  and  have 
them  all  ready  on  the  table  by  you. 

2.  Cream  butter  and  sugar  by  rubbing  them  together  in  a  bowl 
with  a  wooden,  agate-iron,  or  silver  spoon,  until  you  have  a  mixt- 
ure as  white  as  cream  and  as  bland  as  oil. 

3.  Sift  baking  powder,  or  soda,  and  salt  twice  with  the  flour, 
and  if  there  is  the  least  suspicion  of  dampness  about  the  flour,  set 
it  near  the  fire  for  half  an  hour,  then  sift  again. 

4.  Beat  whites  and  yolks  separately,  the  whites  to  a  close- 


358  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

grained,  standing  froth  that  can  be  cut  with  a  knife,  the  yolks  to 
a  smooth,  stiff  cream. 

5.  Add   the   flour   last   in   mixing,  or   alternately   with   the 
whites  of  the  eggs,  whipping  in  lightly  and  almost  horizontally 
with  as  few  strokes  as  are  needful  to  incorporate  all  the  in- 
gredients. 

6.  Do  not  let  the  cake  stand  after  it  is  mixed,  awaiting  the 
oven's  mood,  or  the  maker's  convenience.     Look  to  it  that  the 
oven  is  ready  for  it  before  beginning  operations. 

7.  Cottolene  is  better  for  greasing  the  pans  than  butter.     Salt 
disposes  the  batter  to  stick,  and  if  you  use  tin- ware  (agate-iron  is 
far  preferable)  blackens  the  pans. 

8.  Give  as  much  attention  to  baking  as  mixing.     After  the 
cake  goes  into  the  oven  do  not  open  the  door  for  at  least  fifteen 
minutes,  and  then  cautiously,  to  peep  at  the  interior,  closing  the 
door  again  gently.     A  "slam"  has  caused  the  sudden  fall  of 
many  a  promising  cake.     To  remove  half-baked  dough  from  one 
oven  to  another  will  almost  certainly  spoil  it  irretrievably. 

This  octave  is  the  foundation  of  all  cake-ly  compositions. 

POUND  CAKE.    (No.  J.) 

One  pound  of  sifted  flour ;  one  pound  of  fine  sugar ;  one 
pound  of  eggs ;  one  (scant)  pound  of  butter  ;  one  tablespoonful 
of  brandy  ;  one-half  teaspoonful  of  mace. 

Cream  sugar  and  butter ;  beat  yolks  and  whites  separately. 
Just  before  mixing  whip  brandy  and  spice  into  the  creamed  but- 
ter and  sugar.  Then  stir  in  the  yolks;  beat  hard  for  two  min- 
utes, and  add  whites  and  flour  alternately,  whipping  them  in 
with  long  side-strokes,  lightly  and  quickly.  The  heavy  work  is 
done  before  these  go  in.  Do  not  stir  the  batter  after  they  are 
added.  A  pound-cake  batter  should  be  stiffer  than  that  of  a  cup 
or  sponge  cake. 

Bake  in  small  greased  tins  or  in  square  flat  pans  in  a 
steady  oven.  Test  the  oven  with  a  bit  of  letter-paper  before 
putting  the  cake  into  it.  If  pale  yellow  in  five  minutes,  it  is 
right. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  359 

POUND  CAKE.    (No.  2.) 

One  pound  of  sifted  flour  ;  one  of  sugar  and  one  of  butter  ; 
ten  eggs  ;  a  wineglassful  of  brandy,  and  as  much  nutmeg  as 
would  lie  easily  upon  a  dime.  Mix  as  before  directed,  and  bake 
three-quarters  of  an  hour  in  a  moderate  oven.  Cover,  when  fully 
risen,  with  paper,  to  prevent  scorching,  removing  to  brown. 
Some  cooks  line  the  pans  intended  for  pound  cake  with  greased 
paper.  You  can  take  your  choice  of  methods.  The  tyro  would 
better  not  attempt  the  paper. 

CUP  CAKE. 

"One  cup  of  butter,  two  of  sugar,  three  of  flour,  and  four 
eggs."  Thus  ran  the  formula  that  fixed  the  proportions  of 
"  one,  two,  three,  and  four  cake  "  in  our  grandmothers'  minds. 
When  we  add  a  cupful  of  milk  and  a  heaping  teaspoonful  of 
Cleveland's  Baking  Powder  we  better  the  recipe. 

You  may  vary  it  by  beating  into  the  batter,  alternately  with 
the  flour,  half  a  cupful  of  raisins,  seeded  and  halved,  then  dredged 
with  flour,  or  the  same  quantity  of  cleaned  currants,  also  floured. 

SPONGE  CAKE.    (No.  I.) 

Ten  eggs  ;  the  weight  of  the  eggs  in  fine  sugar,  and  half  their 
weight  in  flour  ;  half  the  grated  peel  and  all  the  strained  juice  of 
a  lemon. 

Beat  the  sugar  with  the  whipped  yolks,  then  the  lemon-juice 
and  peel,  next  the  stiffened  whites,  finally  the  flour,  folded,  rather 
than  beaten  in. 

SPONGE  CAKE.    (No.  2.) 

Six  eggs ;  two  cupfuls  of  powdered  sugar  ;  two  cupfuls  of 
sifted  flour  ;  one  even  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder, 
sifted  twice  with  the  flour. 

Beat  yolks  and  whites  separately ;  add  sugar  to  yolks,  then  the 
whites,  lastly  the  prepared  flour. 

Bake  in  small  tins,  or  in  two  cards. 


360  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

MARBLED  CAKE, 

One  cupful  of  butter  ;  two  cupfuls  of  powdered  sugar ;  three 
cupfuls  of  flour ;  five  eggs ;  one  large  cupful  of  milk ;  one 
rounded  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder.  Haifa  cake 
of  vanilla  chocolate,  grated. 

Mix  as  you  would  an  ordinary  cup  cake,  reserving  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  the  milk  to  wet  up  the  chocolate.  After  mixing  the 
rest  of  the  cake  dip  out  three  tablespoon fuls  of  the  batter  and 
beat  up  hard  with  the  chocolate  paste.  Fill  a  greased  mould 
one-third  full  of  the  cake-batter,  and  drop  upon  this,  here  and 
there,  a  large  spoonful  of  the  chocolate  mixture.  Stir  in  slightly 
to  give  the  effect  of  dark  waves  and  circles  blending  with  the 
yellow  cake.  Pour  in  more  batter,  variegate  as  before,  and  fill 
the  mould  in  this  order.  Bake  forty-five  minutes  in  a  steady 
oven. 

GOLD  CAKE. 

One  cupful  of  butter  creamed  with  two  of  sugar ;  three  cupfuls 
of  flour  sifted  with  two  rounded  teaspoonfuls  of  Cleveland's  Bak- 
ing Powder ;  yolks  of  seven  eggs  ;  grated  rind  of  an  orange 
and  the  juice  of  a  lemon. 

Cream  butter  and  sugar ;  add  orange-peel  and  lemon-juice 
and  beat  hard  for  five  minutes  before  the  flour  goes  in.  If  you 
object  to  finding  bits  of  orange-peel  in  the  cake,  steep  it  before- 
hand in  the  lemon-juice,  strain  and  squeeze  hard  through  coarse 
muslin. 

If  you  ice  the  cake,  flavor  with  orange-peel  and  lemon-juice 
thus  treated. 

SILVER  CAKE. 

One  cupful  of  powdered  sugar ;  whites  of  six  eggs ;  half  a  cup- 
ful of  flour  sifted  with  a  rounded  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  Bak- 
ing Powder. 

Mix  as  you  would  sponge  cake  and  bake  in  a  mould  similar 
to  that  used  for  your  gold  cake.  When  ready  to  use  them,  cut 
and  pile  in  alternate  slices  of  silver  and  gold. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  361 

PINK-AND-SILVER  CAKE. 

Make  as  directed  in  the  last  recipe ;  take  out  a  small  cupful  of 
batter  and  stir  into  it  enough  powdered  cochineal  moistened 
with  rose-water  to  color  it  a  pretty  pink.  In  filling  the  mould 
drop  here  and  there  a  teaspoonful  of  this,  spreading  slightly 
with  the  tip  of  a  spoon  to  blend  it  with  the  surrounding  batter. 

GREEN-AND-SILVER  CAKE. 

Make  a  good  "  silver-cake  "  batter  ;  reserve  a  cupful  and  mix 
with  it  enough  spinach-juice  to  color  it  green.  Add  a  little 
flour  to  make  up  for  the  thinning  of  the  juice.  To  get  the  color- 
ing matter,  put  freshly  washed  leaves  of  spinach  in  an  inner 
boiler,  and  set  in  boiling  water.  Cover  and  keep  the  water  at  a 
hard  boil  until  the  leaves  are  scalded  and  drowned  in  their  own 
juices.  Squeeze  through  a  cloth  and  cool  before  using. 

WHITE  CUP  CAKE. 

One  cupful  of  butter  rubbed  to  a  cream  with  two  of  sugar ; 
one  cupful  of  milk;  the  stiffened  whites  of  six  eggs;  juice  of  a 
lemon  and  half  the  grated  peel  steeped  in  the  juice,  then  strained  ; 
one  scant  quart  of  flour,  or  enough  for  good  batter,  sifted  twice 
with  a  rounded  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder. 

Cream  butter  and  sugar ;  whip  in  the  lemon-juice  and  peel ; 
add  the  whites  alternately  with  the  flour ;  bake  in  a  loaf,  or  in 
layers  for  jelly  cake. 

ORANGE  CAKE. 

Make  a  white  cup  cake,  as  just  directed,  bake  in  layers  and 
when  cold  put  together  with  this  filling : 

Beat  stiff  the  whites  of  two  eggs,  whip  in  a  cupful  of  powdered 
sugar,  then  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon,  and  the  same  quantity 
of  orange-juice,  in  which  has  been  steeped  for  half  an  hour  and 
then  strained  out  the  grated  peel  of  an  orange.  Reserve  a  little 
and  whip  in  more  powdered  sugar  to  make  frosting  for  the 
uppermost  layer. 

The  effect  of  the  white  and  yellow  is  pleasing. 


362  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

ORANGE  LAYER  CAKE. 

Four  eggs ;  three  cupfuls  of  flour  ;  two  cupfuls  of  sugar ;  half 
cupful  of  butter  ;  two  small  oranges  ;  one  cupful  of  cold  water  ; 
two  teaspoonfuls  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder. 

Add  the  beaten  yolks  of  the  eggs  to  the  creamed  butter  and 
sugar,  stir  in  the  orange-juice  and  grated  peel,  the  water,  flour, 
baking  powder,  and  the  whites  of  the  eggs  last.  Bake  in  layers, 
and  spread  between  these  a  rilling  made  by  beating  into  the 
whites  of  two  eggs  enough  powdered  sugar  to  make  a  tolerably 
stiff  frosting,  and  flavoring  this  with  lemon-juice  and  grated 
peel.  Add  a  little  more  sugar  for  the  top  icing  than  for  the 
layer  filling. 

STRAWBERRY  LAYER  CAKE. 

Cut  a  square  sponge  cake  into  halves.  Upon  one  half  put  a 
thick  meringue,  made  from  the  whites  of  two  eggs  and  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  powdered  sugar ;  beat  the  eggs  until  light,  then 
add  the  sugar  and  beat  again  until  white.  Strew  large  straw- 
berries thickly  over  this ;  put  on  the  upper  half,  cover  with  straw- 
berries neatly  arranged,  sprinkle  with  sugar,  and  serve  with  cream. 

CREAM  CAKE. 

Cream  half  a  cupful  of  butter  with  one-and-a-half  cupfuls  of 
powdered  sugar,  or  very  fine  granulated.  Add  three-quarters  of 
a  cupful  of  milk,  and  when  well  mixed,  the  stiffened  whites  of 
three  eggs  alternately  with  enough  prepared  flour  to  make  a  good 
batter.  Begin  with  two  cupfuls,  and  use  your  discretion.  Bake 
in  layers  with  this  filling  : 

Heat  a  cupful  of  milk,  and  when  it  boils  thicken  with  three 
tablespoonfuls  of  flour  wet  up  with  a  little  water.  Take  from 
the  fire  when  it  has  boiled  for  a  minute  and  pour  upon  the  yolks 
of  three  eggs  beaten  light  with  half  a  cupful  of  powdered  sugar 
or  fine  granulated.  Stir  together  over  the  fire  until  you  have 
a  smooth,  thick  cream.  When  cool,  put  between  the  layers  of 
cake. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  363 

APPLE  CAKE. 

Cream  half  a  cupful  of  butter  with  two  cupfuls  of  powdered 
sugar  and  beat  light ;  add  half  a  cupful  of  milk.  Sift  with  three 
scant  cupfuls  of  flour,  three  tablespoonfuls  of  corn-starch,  and  a 
rounded  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder,  and  add  to 
the  milk,  butter,  and  sugar,  alternately  with  the  stiffened  whites 
of  six  eggs. 

Bake  in  jelly-cake  tins. 

FILLING  FOR  APPLE  CAKE. 

Beat  the  yolk  of  an  egg  light,  and  into  it  a  cupful  of 
sugar  with  the  grated  peel  and  the  juice  of  a  lemon.  Grate 
directly  into  this  mixture  three  fine  pippins  or  other  tart  apples, 
stirring  every  now  and  then,  to  prevent  discoloration  of  the  ap- 
ple before  it  is  coated.  Cook  in  a  double  boiler  until  it  is  scald- 
ing-hot, stirring  constantly.  Cool  before  putting  into  the  cake. 
Eat  fresh,  with  or  without  cream.  It  is  very  good. 

QUICK  JELLY  CAKE. 

Cut  a  thick  loaf  of  sponge  cake,  bought  at  the  confectioner's, 
horizontally  into  four  parts.  Put  between  alternate  layers  liberal 
instalments  of  tart  and  sweet  fruit  jelly,  such  as  currant  or  grape 
and  crab-apple.  Fit  the  slices  smoothly  into  place  and  cover 
the  whole  cake  with  an  icing  made  by  whipping  stiff  the  whites 
of  four  eggs  with  enough  powdered  sugar  to  make  a  consistent 
frosting.  Set  in  the  oven  for  five  minutes  to  harden,  but  not  to 
color,  then  in  a  sunny  window.  You  can  make  this  in  one-tenth 
of  the  time  required  for  a  regular  jelly  cake.  Angel  cake,  or 
any  good  plain  loaf,  is  suitable  for  this  purpose. 

ALMOND  CAKE. 

One  pound  of  powdered  sugar  ;  one  quart  of  flour  sifted  twice 
with  two  rounded  teaspoonfuls  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder ; 
a  quarter-pound  of  butter  ;  seven  eggs,  whites  and  yolks  beaten 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

separately;  one  large  cupful  of  almonds,  blanched,  pounded, 
and  ,flavored  with  a  teaspoonful  of  rose-water,  and  half  as  much 
essence  of  bitter  almonds. 

Cream  butter  and  sugar,  beat  the  whipped  whites  into  this 
mixture  and  whip  this  two  minutes  before  the  almond  paste 
goes  in  alternately  with  the  whites.  Lastly,  whip  in  the  flour 
lightly.  Bake  in  a  loaf  or  two  cards.  To  blanch  the  almonds, 
pour  boiling  water  upon  them,  slip  off  the  skins  and  set  the  al- 
monds in  the  sun  or  in  an  open  oven  to  dry  and  crisp.  They 
should  be  cold  before  they  are  pounded  in  a  mortar  and  the 
essences  added  while  this  is  going  on. 

Flavor  the  icing  with  rose-water  and  a  little  essence  of  bitter 
almonds. 

SEEDLESS  RAISIN  CAKE. 

One  cupful  of  butter,  two  of  sugar,  three  of  flour,  and  six 
eggs;  one  cupful  of  milk;  one  pound  of  seedless  (sultana) 
raisins  dredged  with  flour;  one-half  teaspoonful  of  cinnamon 
and  the  same  of  mace ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  brandy ;  two 
rounded  teaspoonfuls  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder,  sifted  twice 
with  the  flour. 

Cream  butter  and  sugar  well,  add  the  beaten  yolks  of  the 
eggs,  then  the  spice  and  brandy.  Beat  for  three  minutes,  add 
the  milk,  finally  the  prepared  flour  alternately  with  the  floured 
fruit  and  the  stiffened  whites.  Bake  in  four  small  loaves  or  in 
pate-pans. 

The  raisins  should  be  carefully  picked  over,  stemmed,  washed, 
and  dried  before  they  are  dredged  with  flour. 

CURRANT  CAKE, 

Make  as  directed  in  the  last  recipe,  substituting  a  pound  of 
cleaned  currants  for  the  sultanas. 

RAISIN-AND-CITRON  CAKE 

is  made  in  the  same  way,  putting  half  a  pound  of  seeded  raisins 
and  the  same  of  citron,  finely  shredded  and  clipped  into  half- 
inch  lengths,  in  the  place  of  the  currants  or  sultanas. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  365 

NUT  CAKE. 

One  cupful  of  butter  creamed  with  two  of  sugar ;  three  cup- 
fuls of  flour  sifted  twice  with  two  teaspoonfuls  of  Cleveland's 
Baking  Powder ;  one  cupful  of  cold  water ;  four  eggs  ;  half  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  mace  ;  two  cupfuls  of  white  walnut  kernels  or  of 
hickory  nuts,  or  of  blanched  almonds  dredged  in  flour,  cut  up 
small  and  added  alternately  with  the  sifted  flour  and  stiffened 
whites. 

Cream  butter  and  sugar,  add  the  beaten  yolks,  the  water,  and 
spice,  the  nuts,  whites,  and  flour. 

A  delicious  cake  and  a  well-tested  recipe. 

CREAM  CHOCOLATE  CAKE. 

One  tablespoonful  of  butter  ;  one  cupful  of  sugar  ;  three  eggs  ; 
two  cupfuls  of  flour ;  half  a  cupful  of  milk ;  one  heaping  tea- 
spoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder. 

Cream  the  butter  and  sugar,  add  the  beaten  yolks,  the  milk, 
the  whipped  whites,  and  the  flour,  which  has  been  sifted  with 
the  baking  powder.  Bake  in  jelly- cake  tins. 

CREAM  CHOCOLATE  FILLING. 

One  egg,  beaten  light ;  half  a  cupful  of  sugar ;  one  cupful 
of  milk  ;  two  teaspoonfuls  of  corn -starch ;  two  tablespoonfuls 
of  grated  chocolate. 

Wet  the  corn -starch  with  a  little  cold  milk,  and  heat  the  re- 
maining milk  in  a  double  boiler.  Stir  in  the  corn-starch  and 
the  chocolate.  Cook  together  until  smooth,  remove  from  the 
fire,  and  pour,  a  little  at  a  time,  on  the  beaten  egg  and  sugar. 
Return  to  the  stove;  cook  ten  minutes  longer,  stirring  con- 
stantly. When  cool,  spread  between  the  cakes. 

CREAM-CAKE  FILLING. 

One  cupful  of  milk ;  one  egg  ;  half  a  cupful  of  sugar  ;  two  even 
teaspoonfuls  of  corn-starch  ;  one  teaspoonful  of  vanilla. 

Heat  the  milk,  stir  in  the  corn-starch  wet  up  in  a  little  cold 


366  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

milk,  add  gradually  the  egg  beaten  light  with  the  sugar  ;  return 
to  the  fire  and  cook,  stirring  all  the  time,  until  thick.  Cool, 
season,  and  spread  between  the  layers  of  cake. 

CHOCOLATE  FILLING  FOR  CAKE. 

Grate  half  a  cake  of  vanilla  chocolate ;  wet  with  three  table- 
spoonfuls  of  milk,  rubbing  them  together  gradually  ;  beat  into 
an  egg  which  has  been  whipped  light  with  a  cupful  of  powdered 
sugar,  and  cook,  stirring  constantly,  until  thick. 

Or— 

Beat  the  whites  of  three  eggs  stiff  with  a  cupful  of  powdered 
sugar  ;  wet  three  tablespoonfuls  of  grated  chocolate  with  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  vanilla  and  whip  into  the  meringue.  Do  not  cook  it. 

CARAMEL  FILLING. 

One  cupful  of  brown  sugar  and  the  same  of  molasses,  stirred 
for  five  minutes  with  a  tablespoonful  of  melted  butter ;  add  half  a 
cupful  of  hot  milk,  and  a  tablespoonful  of  flour  wet  up  in  two  of 
colct  water.  Mix  well,  heat  and  boil  five  minutes,  stirring  often, 
add  half  a  cake  of  vanilla  chocolate  (grated),  and  boil  for  five 
minutes  more.  Lastly,  stir  in  a  generous  pinch  of  soda,  and  a 
minute  later  take  from  the  fire. 

Flavor  with  vanilla,  or  other  essence ;  when  cold  spread  between 
the  cakes  and  upon  the  top.  Set  in  the  sun  to  dry. 

RASPBERRY-CAKE  FILLING. 

Beat  stiff  the  whites  of  three  eggs,  adding  gradually  half  a  cup- 
ful of  powdered  sugar.  Spread  the  lowest  layer  of  the  cake  with 
this,  and  strew  thickly  with  raspberries.  Proceed  in  the  same 
way  with  each  successive  layer,  sprinkling  powdered  sugar  over 
the  berries  on  top  of  the  cake. 

COCOANUT  FILLING.    (No.  J.) 

Mix  a  cupful  of  powdered  sugar  with  a  grated  cocoanut,  and 
add  the  milk  of  the  cocoanut.  Put  into  the  oven  until  the  sugar 
melts,  then  spread  between  layers  of  cake. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  367 


COCOANUT  FILLING.    (No.  2.) 

One  grated  cocoanut  or  a  like  quantity  of  the  desiccated, 
soaked  in  a  little  rnilk.  Divide  into  two  equal  parts.  Add  to 
one  the  stiffened  whites  of  three  eggs,  and  a  cupful  of  powdered 
sugar.  Beat  hard  and  spread  between  the  layers.  Mix  with  the 
other  portion  half  a  cupful  of  powdered  sugar  and  cover  the  top 
of  the  cake  with  it.  Flavor  with  rose-water. 

COFFEE  FILLING. 

One  cupful  of  hot  milk;  half  a  cupful  of  sugar;  three  eggs, 
beaten  light ;  one  tablespoonful  of  corn-starch  wet  with  a  little 
cold  milk ;  half  a  cupful  of  black  coffee.  Stir  the  corn-starch 
into  the  hot  milk  and  this  into  the  beaten  eggs  and  sugar.  Set 
over  the  fire  and  stir  three  minutes.  When  almost  cold  beat  in 
the  cold  coffee.  You  may  make  this  with  the  yolks  of  the  eggs, 
omitting  the  whites. 

COCOANUT  LOAF-CAKE.    (No.  J.) 

One  cupful  of  butter  creamed  with  two  of  sugar ;  three  cup- 
fuls  of  flour  sifted  with  two  rounded  teaspoonfuls  of  Cleveland's 
Baking  Powder  ;  whites  of  four  eggs ;  one-half  of  a  grated  cocoa- 
nut,  stirred  in  alternately  with  the  flour. 

COCOANUT  LOAF-CAKE.    (No.  2.) 

Half  a  cupful  of  butter  ;  two  cupfuls  of  sugar ;  five  eggs ;  one 
cupful  of  milk;  two  cupfuls  of  flour;  two  cupfuls  of  grated 
cocoanut ;  two  teaspoonfuls  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder ;  one 
lemon. 

Cream  the  butter  and  sugar  and  stir  them  into  the  beaten 
yolks  of  the  eggs.  Put  in  the  milk  and  the  flour  through  which 
you  have  sifted  the  baking  powder.  Add  the  juice  and  grated 
peel  of  the  lemon  and  the  cocoanut,  and  last  stir  in  the  whites 
of  the  eggs,  beaten  stiff.  Make  into  two  loaves,  or  one  loaf  and  a 
dozen  small  cakes,  and  bake  in  a  steady  oven  until  a  straw  will 


368  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

come  out  clean  from  the  thickest  part  of  the  cake.  If  icing  is 
wished,  beat  a  cupful  and  a  half  of  powdered  sugar  with  the 
white  of  one  egg,  and  after  spreading  this  over  the  cake  sprinkle 
it  with  grated  cocoanut. 

ENGLISH  BUN-LOAF. 

One  cupful  of  bread-dough  which  has  had  the  second  rising. 
One-half  cupful  of  butter,  or  cottolene,  melted  ;  one  egg ;  one-half 
teaspoonful  of  soda  dissolved  in  a  little  milk ;  one-half  teaspoon- 
ful  of  cinnamon  and  half  as  much  nutmeg ;  one-half  cupful  of 
seeded  and  chopped  raisins  dredged  with  flour ;  one-half  cupful 
of  brown  sugar. 

Cream  butter  and  shortening,  beat  in  the  egg,  and  work  these 
into  the  risen  dough ;  next  the  spices,  the  soda,  and  lastly,  the 
fruit.  Knead  for  two  minutes,  make  into  a  loaf  or  into  rolls,  let 
them  stand  for  half  an  hour,  and  bake  in  a  moderate  oven. 

This  is  a  Lancashire  recipe. 

JELLY  ROLL. 

Four  eggs  and  their  weight  of  butter,  sugar,  and  flour. 
Cream  butter  and  sugar,  then  add  the  beaten  yolks  and  beat  for 
five  minutes.  Now  put  in  the  stiffened  whites  alternately  with 
the  flour,  which  should  have  been  sifted  with  one  rounded  tea- 
spoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder.  Pour  into  a  greased 
baking-pan,  evenly,  less  than  half  an  inch  deep,  spreading  with 
a  broad  knife.  Bake  quickly,  but  steadily,  turn  out  while  hot, 
spread  with  jelly,  and  roll.  Cover  with  paper,  and  tie  into  shape 
until  cold.  You  can  make  this  with  plain  sponge  cake  also. 

CHRISTMAS  FRUIT-CAKE. 

An  Old  Virginia  Recipe. 

Six  eggs ;  one  cupful  of  butter ;  one  cupful  and  a  half  of  pow- 
dered sugar ;  two  cupfuls  of  flour ;  half  a  pound  of  raisins ;  half  a 
pound  of  currants ;  quarter  of  a  pound  of  citron  ;  one  teaspoon- 
ful each  of  cinnamon  and  nutmeg ;  half  a  teaspoonful  of  ground 
cloves ;  three  tablespoonfuls  of  brandy. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  369 

Seed  and  chop  the  raisins,  wash  and  dry  the  currants,  and 
shred  the  citron ;  cream  the  butter  and  sugar  and  mix  with  the 
well-beaten  yolks  of  the  eggs;  stir  in  half  the  flour,  the  spice,  the 
whipped  whites,  the  rest  of  the  flour,  the  fruit  well  dredged  with 
flour,  and  lastly,  the  brandy.  This  will  make  a  large  cake.  It 
should  be  baked  about  two  hours  in  a  steady  oven. 

FRUIT  WEDDING-CAKE. 

One  pound  of  flour ;  one  pound  of  butter  creamed  with  one 
of  sugar ;  one  pound  each  of  cleaned  currants  and  of  chopped 
and  seeded  raisins;  one-half  pound  of  citron,  shredded  and 
clipped;  twelve  eggs;  one  tablespoonful  of  cinnamon,  one  tea- 
spoonful  of  mace  or  nutmeg,  and  one  of  allspice ;  one  wineglass- 
ful  of  brandy. 

Cream  butter  and  sugar ;  add  the  beaten  yolks  and  beat  for 
five  minutes  before  going  further.  Next,  put  in  the  spices,  then 
the  flour  and  stiffened  whites  by  turns,  whipping  them  in  with 
sidelong,  light,  but  long,  strokes,  and  as  few  as  possible.  Then 
comes  the  brandy.  Finally,  put  in  the  fruit  well  mixed  and 
thoroughly  dredged  with  flour.  Beat  in  quickly,  and  at  once 
pour  the  batter  into  two  large  moulds,  well  greased  and  lined 
with  buttered  paper.  Bake  two  hours  steadily. 

This  also  is  an  old  Virginia  recipe,  and  has  been  approved  by 
four  generations  of  housewives  and  guests. 


SMALL  CAKES,  COOKIES,  ETC 

ALMOND  CAKES. 

One  pound  of  shelled,  blanched,  and  pounded  almonds  or  of 
prepared  almond  paste  ;  two  teaspoonfuls  of  rose-water ;  one 
pound  of  sugar  ;  two  eggs,  whites  and  yolks  beaten  separately  ; 
one  tablespoonful  of  powdered  cinnamon.  Beat  the  sugar  into 
the  yolks,  add  the  cinnamon,  then  the  almond  paste,  alternately 
with  the  stiffened  whites.  Beat  for  three  minutes,  flour  your 
hands  thickly,  take  up  a  little  ball  of  the  almond  compound  and 
24 


3/0  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

flatten  into  a  small,  thin  cake.  As  fast  as  you  mould  them  lay 
upon  buttered  paper,  lining  baking-pans.  Bake  in  a  very  hot 
oven  until  lightly  colored. 

BOSTON  CREAM-CAKES. 

One-half  pound  of  butter  ;  three-quarters  of  a  pound  of  flour ; 
eight  eggs  ;  two  cupfuls  of  hot  water. 

Melt  the  butter  in  the  water,  set  over  the  fire  and  bring  to  a 
gentle  boil.  Then  put  in  the  flour  and  boil  until  it  leaves  the 
sides  of  the  saucepan,  never  ceasing  to  stir.  One  minute  should 
suffice.  Turn  out  into  a  bowl  to  cool.  Beat  the  eggs  in,  one  at 
a  time,  allowing  a  minute  of  brisk  beating  to  each,  and  when  all 
are  in,  allow  two  minutes  more  to  the  whole.  Set  upon  ice 
for  an  hour,  then  drop,  in  great  spoonfuls  of  equal  size,  upon  but- 
tered paper  laid  in  a  broad  baking-pan,  taking  care  not  to  let 
them  touch  one  another.  Bake  for  fifteen  minutes  in  a  tolerably 
quick  oven,  by  which  time  they  should  be  golden  brown. 

When  they  are  cool  make  a  slit  in  one  side  of  each  and  fill 
with  a  cream-cake  filling  or  a  coffee  filling,  or,  nicer  still,  with 
whipped  cream  into  which  has  been  beaten  a  little  sugar,  and 
vanilla  or  other  essence. 

ECLAIRS. 

Make  as  directed  for  Boston  Cream- Cakes,  but  lay  the  paste 
in  long  loaves,  about  four  inches  in  length  and  an  inch  wide. 
When  baked  and  cold  slit  the  side  and  put  in  chocolate,  vanilla, 
or  cocoanut  filling,  icing  with  the  same. 

MACAROONS. 

Whites  of  four  eggs  beaten  stiff;  half  a  pound  of  almonds, 
blanched,  cooled,  and  pounded  to  a  paste  with  a  little  rose- 
water  to  prevent  oiling  while  you  pound  (or  use  confectioners' 
almond  paste) ;  one  heaping  cupful  of  powdered  sugar  ;  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  corn -starch;  ten  drops  of  essence  of  bitter  almonds. 
Beat  the  sugar  up  with  the  stiffened  whites,  then  the  almond 
paste,  the  corn-starch,  and  the  essence.  Beat  well  and  drop,  by 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  37 1 

the  spoonful,  upon  buttered  paper  laid  upon  a  baking-pan.     Cook 
in  a  hot  oven. 

COCOANUT  MACAROONS. 

To  a  grated  cocoanut,  or  the  same  quantity  of  desiccated  co- 
coanut  moistened  with  milk,  add  a  scant  cupful  of  powdered 
sugar,  and  the  stiffened  white  of  an  egg.  Drop  upon  buttered 
paper  and  bake  in  a  quick  oven. 

LADY-FINGERS. 

Make  a  good  batter  as  directed  for  sponge  cake,  and  put  a  lit- 
tle at  a  time  into  a  buttered  paper  funnel  with  an  opening  at  the 
end  half  an  inch  wide.  Squeeze  out,  upon  buttered  papers, 
enough  batter  to  make  cakes  four  inches  long  and  one  wide,  and 
bake  at  once  in  a  hot  oven. 

JUMBLES.    (No.  J.) 

One  egg ;  one  cupful  (scant)  of  fine  sugar ;  half  a  cupful 
of  butter ;  three  tablespoonfuls  of  cream ;  one  teaspoonful  of 
Cleveland's  Baking  Powder  sifted  with  two  cupfuls  of  flour  ; 
juice  and  grated  peel  of  a  lemon  ;  flour  to  make  the  dough  stiff 
enough  to  roll  out  into  a  sheet  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick. 

Cream  butter  and  sugar,  add  the  beaten  egg,  the  lemon-juice 
and  peel,  lastly  the  flour.  Cut  into  round  cakes,  sift  granulated 
sugar  over  them,  and  bake  in  a  quick  oven. 

JUMBLES.    (No.  2.) 

One  cupful  of  sugar  creamed  light  with  one  of  butter ;  half  a 
cupful  of  sour  cream;  one  egg,  beaten  well,  white  and  yolk  sep- 
arately ;  one  teaspoonful  of  soda  sifted  twice  with  flour  enough  for 
soft  dough  (begin  with  two  cups) ;  half  a  teaspoonful  of  ground 
mace. 

Mix  as  directed  in  former  recipe,  roll  out  and  bake. 

SAND  TARTS. 

Mix  according  to  either  of  the  jumble  recipes  ;  cut  round,  or 
in  squares,  or  in  lozenge -shaped  cakes,  when  you  have  rolled  it 


372  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

thin.  After  they  are  in  the  greased  or  floured  pan  wash  the 
tops  with  beaten  white  of  egg ;  sift  granulated  sugar  and  cinna- 
mon thickly  over  them,  and  stick  a  whole  raisin  and  four  or  five 
blanched  and  split  almonds  on  top  of  each. 

GINGER-SNAPS.    (No.  J.) 

One  cupful  of  butter  creamed  with  one  of  sugar,  and,  when 
creamed,  whipped  lighter  with  a  cupful  of  the  best  molasses ; 
half  a  cupful  of  water  ;  one  tablespoon ful  of  ginger,  and  the 
same  of  cinnamon;  one  teaspoonful  of  allspice,  and  one  of 
soda,  sifted  in  three  cupfuls  of  flour.  When  well  mixed,  work  in 
flour  for  rather  stiff  dough.  Roll  thin,  and  cut  out.  These  lit- 
tle cakes  will  keep  well  and  are  good. 

GINGER-SNAPS.    (No.  2.) 

Warm  a  cupful  of  molasses,  and  beat  into  it  half  a  cupful  of 
butter.  When  you  have  a  smooth  mixture,  some  shades  lighter 
than  at  first,  add  half  a  cupful  of  sugar,  two  teaspoonfuls  of  gin- 
ger, and  four  cupfuls  of  flour  into  which  you  have  sifted  twice  a 
teaspoonful  of  soda.  Add  flour  for  stiffish  dough,  roll  very  thin, 
and  cut  out. 

COOKIES. 

POMPTON  COOKIES. 

An  Old  New  Jersey  Recipe. 

Beat  six  eggs  light,  whites  and  yolks  separately ;  cream  one 
cupful  of  butter  with  three  of  sugar.  Work  the  beaten  yolks 
into  this  cream,  then  add  the  whites  alternately  with  enough 
flour  to  make  a  soft  dough.  Do  not  attempt  to  roll  it,  but 
mould  with  well-floured  hands  into  round  cakes,  or,  if  you 
prefer,  into  rings.  Lay  upon  buttered  paper  and  bake  in  a 
quick  oven. 

SPICE  COOKIES. 

Cream  a  cupful  of  butter  with  two  of  sugar ;  stir  into  this  the 
beaten  yolks  of  three  eggs ;  whip  together  well,  and  add  a  tea- 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  373 

spoonful  each  of  nutmeg  and  cloves.  Beat  in  the  whites  alter- 
nately with  two  cupfuls  of  flour  sifted  twice  with  an  even  tea- 
spoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder.  The  dough  must  be 
just  stiff  enough  to  roll  out.  Cut  into  round  cakes,  sift  granu- 
lated sugar  mixed  with  a  little  cinnamon  on  top,  stick  a  currant, 
a  blanched  almond,  or  a  raisin,  in  the  centre  of  each,  and  bake  in 
a  quick  oven. 

SUGAR  COOKIES. 

One  generous  cupful  of  sugar  creamed  with  three-quarters  of 
a  cupful  of  butter  ;  three  tablespoon fuls  of  milk  ;  two  eggs,  yolks 
and  whites  beaten  separately ;  one  heaping  teaspoonful  of  Cleve- 
land's Baking  Powder  sifted  twice  with  two  cupfuls  of  flour.  A 
half  teaspoonful  of  mixed  cinnamon  and  nutmeg. 

Add  flour  to  make  a  soft  dough  ;  roll  out  and  cut  into  round 
cakes.  Bake  in  a  quick  oven. 

PICNIC  COOKIES. 

One  cupful  of  butter ;  two  cupfuls  of  sugar ;  three  eggs,  well 
beaten  ;  one-quarter  teaspoonful  of  soda  dissolved  in  boiling 
water  ;  one  teaspoonful  of  nutmeg ;  one  teaspoonful  of  cloves  ; 
flour  to  make  soft  dough,  just  stiff  enough  to  roll  out — try  two 
cupfuls  to  begin  with,  working  it  in  gradually.  Cut  in  round 
cakes,  stick  a  raisin  or  currant  in  the  top  of  each,  and  bake 
quickly. 

MOLASSES  COOKIES. 

Cream  a  cupful  of  butter  with  two  cupfuls  of  molasses,  warm- 
ing both  slightly  to  enable  you  to  do  this ;  beat  very  light  and 
add  a  teaspoonful  of  allspice  with  a  tablespoonful  of  ginger. 
Sift  a  teaspoonful  of  soda  through  two  cupfuls  of  flour  twice,  and 
stir  in  lightly,  adding  flour  for  a  soft  dough.  Mould  with 
floured  hands  into  round  cakes,  handling  as  little  as  may  be,  and 
bake  quickly. 

CRULLERS  AND  DOUGHNUTS. 

Almost  as  much  depends  upon  frying  as  upon  mixing  the 
doughnut  family.  A  deep  "  Scotch  kettle"  or  saucepan  of 
agate-iron  ware  is  far  better  for  cooking  them  than  a  frying-pan, 


374  'THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

and  cottolene  is  the  best  vehicle  for  this  purpose.  Put  it  into 
a  cold  saucepan  or  kettle,  and  bring  it  gradually  to  the  right  tem- 
perature. Cottolene,  unlike  lard,  does  not  boil,  or  hiss,  or  sputter. 
Test  the  heat  by  dropping  in  a  bit  of  dough.  It  should  sink  to 
the  bottom  and  arise  to  the  surface  almost  immediately,  puffing 
to  twice  the  original  size,  and  quickly  begin  to  color  evenly  and 
lightly  all  over.  Turn  when  the  lower  side  is  of  a  golden  brown. 
Put  in  a  few  crullers  at  a  time.  When  done,  they  must  be  fished 
out  with  a  perforated  spoon,  and  drained  in  a  hot  colander. 
When  all  are  cooked  sift  fine  sugar  over  them  while  still  warm. 
Keep  in  a  covered  jar.  They  are  better  the  second  day  than  the 
first. 

NONPAREIL  CRULLERS. 

Cream  half  a  pound  of  butter  with  three-quarters  of  a  pound 
of  powdered  sugar ;  when  light,  stir  in  the  beaten  yolks  of  six 
eggs,  with  a  half-teaspoonful  of  mace  and  nutmeg  mixed.  Add 
the  stiffened  whites  of  the  eggs  alternately  with  flour  for  a  pretty 
stiff  dough.  Roll  into  a  thin  sheet,  cut  into  shapes  with  a 
jagging  iron,  and  fry  in  deep  cottolene.  Cut  out  a  goodly  supply 
before  you  begin  frying  them,  and  unless  you  have  an  assistant 
cut  out  all.  They  do  better  if  left  upon  ice  to  become  firm  be- 
fore they  are  cooked.  Half  an  hour  should  get  them  into  the  right 
condition. 

SOUR-CREAM  CRULLERS. 

Cream  a  heaping  cupful  of  sugar  with  one-third  of  a  cupful 
of  butter ;  when  light  add  a  beaten  egg,  and  whip  well ;  put  in 
half  a  cupful  of  sour  cream,  and  work  in  two  cupfuls  of  flour  in 
which  an  even  teaspoonful  of  soda  has  been  sifted  twice.  Add 
flour  for  a  stiff  dough. 

Fry  in  deep  cottolene,  and  while  warm  strew  with  powdered 
sugar  and  cinnamon. 

An  economical  and  good  recipe. 

POWHATAN  CRULLERS. 

Cream  half  a  pound  of  sugar  with  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  ; 
add  the  beaten  yolks  of  three  eggs,  two  teaspoon fuls  of  milk,  a 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  375 

saltspoonful  of  grated  nutmeg,  and  an  even  teaspoonful  of  Cleve- 
land's Baking  Powder  sifted  twice  with  two  cupfuls  of  flour. 
Add  flour  enough  for  a  rather  stiff  dough,  roll  out  thin,  cut  into 
shapes  and  fry. 

NEW  ENGLAND  DOUGHNUTS. 

Haifa  pound  of  butter  and  a  pound  of  sugar;  two  cupfuls 
of  milk;  two  eggs  ;  half  a  cake  of  compressed  yeast  dissolved 
in  four  tablespoonfuls  of  warm  water,  or  half  a  cupful  of  yeast ; 
one  teaspoonful  each  of  mace  and  of  cinnamon  ;  flour  for 
dough. 

Cream  butter  and  sugar,  stir  in  the  milk,  the  yeast,  and  a 
scant  quart  of  flour.  Set  to  rise  for  six  hours,  or  in  winter  all 
night.  Then  beat  the  eggs  light,  and  stir  in  with  spice  and 
enough  flour  to  make  a  good  dough.  Let  it  rise  to  double  the 
original  size,  roll  out  nearly  half  an  inch  thick,  cut  into  circles, 
rounds,  or  other  figures,  and  fry  in  deep  cottolene.  Sift  sugar 
and  cinnamon  over  them  while  hot.  They  keep  well. 

QUICK  DOUGHNUTS. 

One  cupful  of  sugar  creamed  with  half  a  cupful  of  butter ; 
one  cupful  of  milk ;  two  eggs ;  a  teaspoonful  of  mixed  cin- 
namon and  nutmeg ;  one  rounded  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's 
Baking  Powder  sifted  twice  with  two  cupfuls  of  flour.  Work  in 
flour  for  soft  dough,  roll  into  a  rather  thick  sheet ;  cut  into 
rings  or  into  narrow  strips  which  you  may  twist  into  fantastic 
shapes ;  fry  in  deep  cottolene ;  drain,  and  sift  sugar  over  them. 


GINGERBREAD. 

SUGAR  GINGERBREAD. 

Cream  one  cupful  of  butter  with  two  of  sugar,  add  the  beaten 
yolks  of  three  eggs,  and  a  cupful  of  sour  cream,  or  loppered 
milk,  or  buttermilk,  with  two  teaspoonfuls  of  ginger  and  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  cinnamon.  Work  in  alternately  with  the  whipped 


376  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

v 

whites  four  cupfuls  of  flour  in  which  has  been  sifted  a  teaspoon- 

ful  of  soda.     Add  flour  for  a  soft  dough.     Bake  in  two  large 
cards ;  wash  with  white  of  egg  while  hot. 

EGOLESS  GINGERBREAD.    (No.  J.) 

Warm  a  cupful  of  molasses  until  it  will  melt  a  scant  half-cupful 
of  mixed  cottolene  and  butter,  when  they  are  beaten  up  in  it. 
Whip  until  you  have  a  coffee-colored  cream,  add  a  cupful  of 
sour  cream  or  milk,  and  two  tablespoonfuls  of  ginger.  Whip 
one  minute  and  stir  into  the  mixture  two  teaspoonfuls  of  soda 
sifted  twice  with  four  cupfuls  of  flour,  or  enough  for  soft  dough. 
Roll  out,  cut  into  two  cards  the  size  of  your  baking-pans,  or 
into  round  cakes,  and  bake. 

Gingerbread  is  more  likely  to  burn  than  other  cake,  when 
molasses  is  used. 

EGGLESS  GINGERBREAD.    (No.  2.) 

Warm  a  cupful  of  molasses  slightly  and  stir  into  it  a  cupful  of 
sugar  with  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  and  two  teaspoonfuls  of 
ginger  mixed  with  half  as  much  cinnamon.  Beat  all  together 
until  smooth  ;  then  whip  into  the  mixture  a  cupful  of  sour  cream. 
Lastly,  add  four  cupfuls  of  flour  in  which  have  been  sifted  twice 
two  teaspoonfuls  of  soda.  Beat  well,  and  bake  in  broad,  shallow 
card-pans,  well  greased,  or  in  small  tins. 

RAISIN  GINGERBREAD. 

Make  as  in  last  recipe,  adding  at  the  last  half  a  pound  of  rai- 
sins, seeded  and  chopped,  or  halved,  well  dredged  with  flour. 

GINGERBREAD  LOAF. 

Cream  a  cupful  of  butter  with  one  of  sugar,  and  when  light 
beat  in  a  cupful  of  molasses  with  a  tablespoonful  of  ginger  and  a 
teaspoonful  of  cinnamon.  Warm  them  slightly  and  whip  in  a 
cupful  of  sour  cream,  or  loppered  milk,  or  buttermilk;  next,  the 
beaten  yolks  of  two  eggs,  then,  alternately  with  the  frothed 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  377 

whites,  four  cupfuls  of  flour  in  which  has  been  sifted  twice  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  soda.  Beat  up  from  the  bottom  for  five  minutes  and 
bake  in  a  greased  mould  with  a  funnel  in  the  middle.  Take  care 
that  it  does  not  burn.  The  batter  should  be  of  the  consistency 
of  pound  cake.  Half  a  pound  of  cleaned  currants,  or  of  seeded 
and  halved  raisins,  dredged  with  flour,  make  an  elegant  cake  of 
this. 

ICINGS* 

PLAIN  ICING. 

Break  the  white  of  an  egg  upon  a  clean  cold  platter.  Allow 
a  scant  cupful  of  powdered  sugar  for  each  egg.  Put  a  tablespoon- 
ful  of  sugar  upon  the  egg  and  begin  at  once  to  whip  it  in  with 
sidelong  sweeps  of  fork  or  egg-beater,  folding,  rather  than  stir- 
ring, in  the  frothing  egg.  Beat  them  together  from  the  first,  add- 
ing lemon-juice  or  other  flavoring  as  you  go  on.  Beat  until  you 
have  a  smooth,  stiff  meringue. 

Pour  the  icing  upon  the  middle  of  the  cake,  and  smooth  it  with 
the  wet  blade  of  a  knife  over  top  and  sides. 

BOILED  OR  FONDANT  ICING. 

Put  a  pound  of  granulated  sugar  and  half  a  cupful  of  water 
over  the  fire  and  let  it  boil  slowly  (without  stirring)  until  a  little 
dropped  from  the  tip  of  a  spoon  looks  like  spun  silk,  or  a  hair. 
Set  aside  until  a  little  more  than  blood-warm,  when  begin  to  stir 
steadily,  always  in  one  direction,  and  keep  it  up  until  you  have 
a  smooth,  snowy  cream.  Apply  as  above  directed.  If  properly 
made  it  will  harden  by  the  time  it  is  on  the  cake.  Flavor  to 
taste,  while  stirring. 

This  icing  can  be  kept  for  several  days  or  longer,  and  may  be 
softened  for  use  in  a  vessel  set  in  boiling  water. 

CHOCOLATE  ICING. 

Add  to  a  cupful  of  fondant  or  boiled  icing  a  tablespoonful  of 
grated  chocolate,  and  stir  smooth. 


PUDDINGS. 
BOILED  AND  STEAMED  PUDDINGS. 

ALWAYS  put  puddings  which  are  to  be  boiled  over  the  fire  in 
boiling  water,  and  keep  it  at  a  hard  bubble  until  the  time  for 
cooking  them  is  up.  If  you  use  a  cloth  for  holding  the  batter 
or  dough,  have  one  of  strong  unbleached  muslin,  and  keep  it  for 
nothing  else.  When  you  are  ready  to  use  it,  rinse  it  in  hot,  then 
in  cold,  water,  wringing  it  dry  in  the  last,  butter  it  on  the  inside 
and  dredge  plentifully  with  flour.  In  tying  up  the  pudding 
leave  room  for  it  to  swell,  and  tie  tightly  with  strong  twine  or 
tape. 

When  the  pudding  is  done  plunge  the  bag  for  one  instant  into 
cold  water  to  make  the  contents  shrink  away  from  the  cloth ; 
leave  it  for  a  few  minutes  on  a  dish  to  harden  the  outside,  untie 
the  strings,  and  turn  out  carefully  upon  a  hot  dish. 

If  you  prefer  a  pudding-mould,  grease  it  well,  see  that  the  top 
fits  tightly,  do  not  fill  it  too  full,  and  look  to  it  that  the  boiling 
water  does  not  upset  it  in  the  pot.  The  mould  should  not  float 
in  the  water.  Dip  into  cold  water  for  an  instant  when  the  pud- 
ding is  done.  Should  the  water  boil  away  too  much  from- the 
cloth  or  mould,  replenish  from  the  boiling  tea-kettle. 

PLUM  PUDDING, 

Five  cupfuls  of  flour ;  half  a  pound  of  suet ;  half  a  pound  of 
sugar  ;  quarter  of  a  pound  of  butter ;  one  pound  of  currants  :  one 
pound  of  raisins  ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  shred  citron  ;  one  cupful 
of  milk  ;  six  eggs  ;  half  a  teaspoonful  of  cloves  ;  half  a  teaspoon- 
ful  of  mace  ;  one  grated  nutmeg  ;  half  a  cupful  of  brandy. 


THE   NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  379 

Seed  and  chop  the  raisins  ;  wash  and  pick  over  the  currants. 
Rub  the  butter  and  sugar  together  and  stir  into  them  the  beaten 
yolks  of  the  eggs  and  the  milk.  Add  the  flour  and  the  whipped 
whites  of  the  eggs,  the  spices  and  the  liquor.  Dredge  the  fruit 
with  flour  and  stir  it  in,  and  after  all  is  well  mixed  pack  it  into 
greased  moulds  and  boil  five  hours.  After  the  pudding  is  turned 
out,  stick  a  spray  of  holly  in  it,  pour  a  little  brandy  over  the  pud- 
ding, and  touch  it  with  a  match  into  a  blaze,  just  as  it  is  brought 
to  the  table. 

SAUCE  FOR  PLUM  PUDDING. 

Two  tablespoon fuls  of  butter ;  one  cupful  of  powdered  sugar  ; 
half  a  cupful  of  boiling  water  and  a  wineglassful  of  brandy. 

Cream  the  butter  and  sugar,  add  the  brandy  and  boiling 
water,  set  the  vessel  containing  the  sauce  in  a  saucepan  of  boiling 
water,  and  beat  until  very  light.  If  you  object  to  brandy,  you 
may  substitute  the  juice  of  one  large,  or  two  small  lemons. 

STEAMED  PLUM  PUDDING. 

One  cupful  of  flour ;  two  cupfuls  of  bread-crumbs,  fine  and 
dry ;  one  cupful  of  sugar ;  one  cupful  of  milk ;  one  cupful  of 
raisins,  seeded  ;  one  cupful  of  currants,  washed  and  dried  ;  half  a 
cupful  of  molasses ;  half  a  cupful  of  suet ;  quarter  of  a  pound  of 
citron,  sliced  ;  one  ounce  of  candied  orange-peel,  minced  ;  half 
a  teaspoonful  each  of  mace  and  cinnamon  ;  one  scant  teaspoon  - 
ful  of  soda  dissolved  in  a  little  hot  water  and  mixed  with  the 
milk  ;  three  eggs,  beaten  light. 

Mix  all  the  ingredients  together,  putting  in  the  fruit,  very  well 
dredged  with  flour,  last  of  all.  Beat  hard,  and  steam  in  a  thor- 
oughly buttered  mould  for  five  or  six  hours.  Turn  it  out,  pour 
a  little  brandy  over  it,  and  light  this  just  before  it  is  put  on  the 
table.  Serve  with  either  hard  or  liquid  sauce. 

i  .    "e. 

QUICK  PLUM  PUDDING. 

One  pound  can  of  plum  pudding,  put  up  by  a  trustworthy 
house  ;  two  cupfuls  of  bread-crumbs  soaked  in  sufficient  milk  to 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

Hoften  them;  one  small  cupful  of  suet ;  three  eggs,  beaten  light ; 
half  a  cupful  of  sugar;  half  a  cupful  of  stoned  raisins. 

Crumble  the  canned  pudding,  powder  the  Huet,  stone  the 
raisins,  and  grate  the  bread-crumbt§  overnight.  The  next  morn- 
ing mix  these  with  the  other  ingredients  mentioned,  turn  all 
into  a  well-greased  pudding-mould,  and  boil  three  hours.  Eat 
with  a  rich,  sweet  sauce. 

STEAMED  INDIAN  PUDDING. 

One  pint  of  milk ;  two  eggs ;  one  and  a  half  cupfuls  of  Indian 
meal;  two  small  tablespoon fuls  of  beef-suet ;  two  tablespoonftils 
of  molasses ;  half  a  teaspoonful  each  of  cinnamon  and  ground 
ginger;  saltspoonful  of  salt ;  pinch  of  soda. 

Heat  the  milk  boiling-hot ;  add  the  soda  and  pour  upon  the 
meal.  Stir  well ;  add  the  suet,  powdered,  and  the  salt.  When 
this  mixture  is  cold  put  with  it  the  eggs,  beaten  light,  the  mo- 
lasses  and  spices,  and  beat  all  hard.  Turn  into  a  well-greased 
mould,  and  steam  four  hours.  Eat  with  hard  sauce. 

DATE  OR  FIG  PUDDING. 

One  cupful  of  figs  or  dates,  cut  into  small  pieces  j  one  cupful 
of  bread  -crumbs ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  powdered  suet  j  two 
eggs ;  one  cupful  of  milk  ;  half  a  cupful  of  sugar ;  saltHpoonful 
each  of  salt  and  cinnamon* 

Soak  the  crumbs  in  the  milk  for  ten  minutes,  and  add  to  them 
the  beaten  eggs,  the  spice,  the  salt,  and  the  sugar.  Dredge  the 
fruit  in  a  heaping  tables poonful  of  Hour,  stir  it  into  the  pudding  ; 
beat  all  vigorously  before  turning  into  a  well-greased  mould  and 
steam  for  three  hours.  Eat  with  hard  sauce. 

PEACH  OR  APPLE  PUDDING. 

Two  cupfuls  of  flour ;  one  small  cupful  of  beef-kidney  suet ; 
half  a  cupful  of  cold  water  ;  one  even  teaspoonful  of  salt. 

I  ice  the  suet  from  skin  and  fibre,  and  chop  it  fine  with  the 
flour.  Add  the  salt  and  stir  in  the  water,  making  a  dough  just 


TIIK  NATIONAL   COOK'  BOOK  381 

soft  enough  to  handle.  Roll  it  out  in  a  square  sheet.  Lay  the 
fruit,  peeled  and  sliced,  in  the  centre  and  sprinkle  thickly  with 
sugar.  Fold  the  paste  over  the  fruit,  pinching  the  edges  together 
as  you  would  with  an  apple  dumpling  ;  lay  the  pudding  in  the 
steamer,  and  cook  two  hours.  Kat  with  hard  sauce. 

ORANGE  ROLY-POLY. 

Two  cupfuls  of  flour  ;  one  cupful  of  milk  ;  one  tablespoon ful 
of  butter,  or  of  butter  and  cottolene  mixed  ;  two  small  teas|x>on- 
fuls  of  Cleveland's  Haking  Powder;  saltspoonful  of  salt ;  well- 
flavored  oranges,  peeled,  seeded,  and  sliced. 

Chop  the  shortening  into  the  flour  after  you  have  twice  sifted 
this  with  the  salt  and  baking  powder.  Mix  with  the  milk  into  a 
soft  dough,  and  roll  this  into  a  sheet  about  half  an  inch  thick. 
Cover  it  with  the  fruit,  and  sprinkle  this  liberally  with  sugar.  Roll 
up  the  dough  as  you  would  a  sheet  of  paper,  with  the  fruit  inside, 
and  steam  it  for  two  hours.  Serve  with  hard  sauce  flavored  with 
lemon. 

STEAMED  "BROVN  BETTY." 

One  cupful  and  •  half  of  fine  bread-crumlw ;  two  cupfuls  of 
tart  apples,  peeled,  cored,  and  minced  ;  half  a  teaspoonful  each 
of  cinnamon  and  mace  ;  three  eggs  ;  saltspoonful  of  salt. 

Mix  the  chopped  apple  and  crumbs  together,  add  the  eggs, 
beaten  light,  the  salt  and  spice,  turn  into  a  buttered  mould,  and 
steam  three  hours.  Serve  with  liquid  sauce. 

ENGLISH  FRUIT-PUDDING. 
Half  a  cupful  of  butter  ;  half  a  cupful  of  sugar  ;  three  eggs  ; 

one  ;.iid  a  li.ill    (  iiplul  ,  of    Horn    ;    «jiiail«-i    of    ;i    pound    of    lai-.m:,  ; 

four  figs  ;  two  ounces  of  citron  ;  grated  peel  of  a  lemon. 

Cream  the  butter  and  sugar  and  stir  it  into  the  eggs,  l>eaten 
very  light.  Mix  in  the  flour  and  the  grated  lemon-rind,  and, 
last,  pi. i  in  i he  fruit.  The  raisins  should  be  seeded  and  cut  in 
half,  Hi-  <  1 1  inn  and  li  vs  minced  fine,  and  all  well  dredged  with 
flour.  Steam  it  in  a  Creased  mould  for  three  hours. 


3&2  THE  NATIONAL  'COOK  BOOK 

STEAMED  CABINET  PUDDING. 

Two  cupfuls  of  stale  cake ;  two  eggs ;  two  cupfuls  of  milk ; 
two  tablespoonfuls  of  white  sugar ;  saitspoonful  of  salt ;  one 
teaspoon ful  of  vanilla;  two  tablespoonfuls  each  of  cleansed 
currants,  sultana  raisins,  washed  and  stemmed,  and  citron  cut  in 
shreds. 

Stir  the  milk  into  the  beaten  eggs ;  add  the  sugar,  vanilla,  and 
salt.  Grease  your  pudding-mould,  and  fill  it  with  alternate 
layers  of  the  fruit  and  the  crumbed  cake,  beginning  with  the 
fruit,  and  moistening  each  layer  of  the  cake  with  a  little  of  the 
mixed  milk  and  egg.  Should  the  cake  still  seem  dry  when  the 
mould  is  filled,  add  a  trifle  more  milk.  Cover  the  mould  and 
steam  the  pudding  for  two  hours. 

If  a  steamed  pudding  does  not  turn  out  readily,  dip  the  mould 
for  an  instant  into  cold  water.  This  will  loosen  the  pudding 
from  the  sides. 

AN  ENGLISH  POTATO-PUDDING. 

Boil  six  large  potatoes  quite  soft,  skin  them,  and  mash  with 
the  back  of  a  spoon.  Run  them  through  a  fine  wire  sieve,  add 
half  a  cupful  of  butter  melted,  the  same  quantity  of  sugar,  and 
four  well-beaten  eggs.  Mix  all  well  together,  place  the  mixt- 
ure in  a  well-buttered  mould,  tie  a  wet  cloth  over  it  and  boil 
for  thirty  minutes,  then  turn  out  carefully  and  cover  with  the 
following  sauce  : 

A  tablespoonful  of  red  currant  jelly,  one  of  port  wine,  and  the 
same  of  hot  butter,  thoroughly  heated  in  a  small  saucepan. 

STRAWBERRY  PUDDING. 

Three  cupfuls  of  firm  strawberries,  hulled  (N.B.,  don't  wash 
the  berries)  ;  two  cupfuls  of  milk  ;  three  cupfuls  of  flour ;  two 
eggs,  whipped  light ;  one  tablespoonful  of  butter  ;  two  teaspoon- 
fuls  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder  sifted  with  the  flour. 

Stir  the  milk  and  the  melted  butter  into  the  beaten  eggs ;  add 
the  prepared  flour  gradually,  stirring  constantly  to  prevent  lump- 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  383 

m 
ing,  and  last  of  all,  the  strawberries,  well  dredged  with  flour. 

Turn  the  pudding  into  a  greased  mould,  and  steam  for  three 
hours,  filling  up  the  outer  vessel  with  boiling  water  as  fast  as  the 
first  supply  evaporates.  Serve  with  hard  sauce. 

CHERRY  PUDDING. 

This  may  be  made  and  cooked  exactly  like  the  strawberry 
pudding,  but  the  cherries  should  be  stoned  before  using,  and,  as 
they  yield  their  juice  freely,  the  quantity  of  flour  should  be  in- 
creased by  half  a  cupful.  Two  full  cupfuls  of  stoned  cherries 
will  be  sufficient.  Dried  cherries  may  be  substituted  for  the 
fresh  fruit,  after  undergoing  the  usual  preliminary  soaking,  and 
a  delicious  pudding  may  be  made  of  canned  cherries,  drained  of 
their  juice. 

CHERRY-AND-CURRANT  PUDDING. 

One  pint  of  flour  ;  half  a  pound  of  beef-kidney  suet ;  one  small 
cupful  of  cold  water ;  half  a  teaspoonful  of  salt. 

Salt  the  flour  and  chop  the  suet  into  it,  add  the  cold  water, 
and  make  it  into  a  dough  as  lightly  and  quickly  as  possible. 
Roll  it  out  half  an  inch  thick ;  butter  a  quart  bowl  and  line  it 
with  the  paste,  leaving  about  an  inch  above  the  bowl  all  around. 
From  the  trimmings  roll  out  a  top-crust  for  the  pudding  ;  fill 
the  bowl  with  three  cupfuls  of  stoned  cherries  and  one  cupful  of 
currants,  sprinkling  sugar  on  each  layer.  Cover  with  crust;  tie 
a  cloth  over  the  bowl,  and  boil  for  two  hours. 

RASPBERRY  PUDDING. 

Three  cupfuls  of  milk  ;  three  eggs  ;  three  cupfuls  of  berries  ; 
two  heaping  teaspoonfuls  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder;  pinch 
of  salt ;  enough  flour  (about  four  cupfuls)  to  make  a  good  batter. 

Proceed  as  with  strawberry  pudding.  Either  black  or  red 
raspberries  may  be  used,  and  a  pleasant  variety  is  given  by  mixing 
two  cupfuls  of  red  raspberries  with  one  of  currants.  All  fruit 
should  be  thoroughly  dredged  with  flour. 


384  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

STRAWBERRY  DUMPLINGS. 

Make  a  dough  as  for  shortcake,  roll  into  a  thin  sheet  and  cut 
with  a  large  round  cutter ;  put  three  strawberries  in  the  centre 
of  each  round,  fold  the  dough  over,  so  that  you  have  a  neat 
dumpling.  Stand  these  dumplings  on  a  buttered  plate,  place 
them  in  a  steamer  and  steam  twenty  minutes.  Serve  with 
strawberry  sauce. 

BOILED  LEMON  PUDDING. 

Two  cupfuls  of  dry  bread-crumbs  •  one  cupful  of  powdered  beef- 
suet  ;  four  tablespoon  mis  of  flour ;  two  teaspoonfuls  of  Cleve- 
land's Baking  Powder  ;  half  a  cupful  of  sugar  ;  one  large  lemon, 
all  the  juice  and  half  the  peel ;  four  eggs,  whipped  light ;  one 
cupful  of  milk — a  large  one.  Soak  the  bread-crumbs  in  the 
milk  ;  add  the  suet ;  beat  eggs  and  sugar  together  and  these  well 
into  the  soaked  bread.  To  these  put  the  lemon,  lastly  the  flour 
sifted  with  the  baking  powder  and  beaten  in  with  as  few  strokes 
as  will  suffice  to  mix  up  all  into  a  thick  batter.  Boil  three  hours 
in  a  buttered  mould.  Eat  hot  with  wine  sauce. 


BLACKBERRY  PUDDING  (RAISED). 

Two  cupfuls  of  flour  ;  two  cupfuls  of  blackberries  ;  two  eggs  ; 
one  cupful  of  milk ;  one  tablespoonful  of  butter  ;  half  a  yeast- 
cake  dissolved  in  warm  water ;  one  small  teaspoonful  of  soda ; 
half  a  teaspoonful  of  salt. 

Melt  the  butter,  beat  the  eggs,  and  mix  these,  the  flour,  the 
yeast,  the  salt,  and  the  soda,  to  a  batter.  Let  it  rise  in  a  warm 
place  until  light.  Four  or  five  hours  will  probably  be  needed  for 
this.  When  the  pudding  has  risen  sufficiently,  stir  in  the  black- 
berries, well  dredged  with  flour,  turn  the  pudding  into  a  but- 
tered mould,  and  steam  it  for  three  hours.  Serve  hard  sauce 
with  it. 

This  pudding  is  even  better  when  huckleberries  take  the  place 
of  blackberries. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  385 


APPLE  DUMPLINGS. 

Chop  one  tablespoonful  of  butter  and  one  of  cottolene  into  a 
quart  of  flour,  which  has  been  sifted  twice  with  one  heaping 
teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder,  and  a  saltspoonful  of 
salt.  Wet  with  two  cupfuls  of  milk,  or  enough  to  make  a  soft 
dough,  and  roll  into  a  sheet  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick.  Pare 
well-flavored,  firm  tart  apples  ;  extract  the  cores,  filling  the  holes 
left  with  a  mixture  of  sugar,  butter,  and  cinnamon  to  taste. 
Cut  the  crust  into  squares  that  will  easily  enfold  the  apples  ;  put 
an  apple  in  the  centre  of  each  and  fold  together,  pinching  the 
edges  where  they  join.  Tie  up  in  small  cloths,  leaving  a  little 
room  for  swelling,  and  boil  one  hour. 

PEACH  DUMPLINGS 

are  made  in  the  same  way.  The  stones  are  left  in  the  peaches  if 
the  fruit  be  large  and  ripe.  They  then  give  a  delicious  flavor  to 
the  flesh  of  the  peach.  If  small  peaches  are  used,  pare,  quarter, 
and  take  out  the  stones,  putting  two  or  three  peaches  in  each 
dumpling. 

CHERRY  DUMPLINGS. 

Prepare  a  crust  as  already  directed,  cut  into  squares,  and  put  a 
great  spoonful  of  whole  cherries  into  each.  Tie  up  in  cloths  and 
boil  as  with  other  dumplings. 

RICE-AND-APPLE  DUMPLINGS. 

Boil  a  cupful  of  rice  for  twenty  minutes  without  stirring  ; 
drain  and  cool  upon  a  coarse  cloth  spread  over  a  sieve.  When 
cold,  have  your  dumpling  cloths  ready  wrung  out,  buttered,  and 
floured.  Put  a  large  spoonful  of  the  cold  rice  upon  each,  flatten- 
ing it  into  a  round  cake.  Upon  this  lay  a  pared  and  cored  apple  ; 
fill  the  hole  left  by  coring  with  butter  and  sugar,  and  stick  a 
whole  raisin  in  the  middle.  Draw  up  the  corners  of  the  cloth 
so  as  to  enclose  the  apple  in  the  rice,  tie,  and  boil  for  an  hour. 
25 


386  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 


PEACH-AND-RJCE  DUMPLINGS, 

Make  in  the  same  way,  substituting  whole  peaches,  pared,  but 
not  stoned,  for  the  apples,  and  sprinkling  with  sugar  before  fold- 
ing the  rice  about  them.  Serve  these  dumplings  with  sweet 
sauce,  hard  or  liquid. 

FARMERS'  DUMPLINGS. 

Soak  two  cupfuls  of  dry  bread-crumbs  in  one  cupful  of  milk 
until  they  absorb  all.  Beat  into  this  the  whipped  yolks  of  four 
eggs,  a  cupful  of  beef -suet,  powdered  fine,  and  a  tablespoonful  of 
sugar.  Half  a  cupful  of  flour,  sifted  twice,  with  a  rounded  tea- 
spoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder,  is  worked  in  next,  alter- 
nately with  the  stiffened  whites  of  the  eggs.  There  should  be 
just  enough  flour  to  enable  you  to  form  the  mixture  into  large 
balls  with  floured  hands.  Wring  out  your  dumpling  cloths,  but- 
ter and  flour  them  inside ;  enclose  the  balls,  leaving  room  to 
swell,  tie  up  tightly,  and  boil  for  an  hour. 

Eaten  with  brandy  or  wine  sauce  they  will  be  relished  by 
others  besides  farmers. 

BAKED  PUDDINGS. 

Nearly  all  the  puddings  for  which  recipes  have  been  given 
under  the  head  of  ''boiled  puddings"  may  be  baked  and  meet 
with  favor.  The  time  for  baking  is,  usually,  about  half  of  that 
required  for  boiling.  When  a  baked  pudding  is  to  be  turned 
out  of  the  mould,  it  is  well  to  cook  it  by  setting  the  bake-dish  in 
boiling  water,  and  this  in  the  oven. 

BAKED  HUCKLEBERRY  PUDDING*] 

One  pint  of  milk ;  two  eggs  ;  one  quart  of  flour  (sifted)  ;  one 
gill  of  yeast ;  one  saltspoonful  of  salt ;  one  teaspoonful  of  boil- 
ing water ;  nearly  a  quart  of  berries  dredged  with  flour.  Make 
a  batter  of  these  ingredients — leaving  out  the  berries — and  set  in 
a  warm  place  to  rise,  for  about  four  hours.  If  light  then,  stir  in 


NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  387 

the  dredged  berries,  pour  into  a  buttered  cake-mould,  and  bake 
one  houi  in  a  moderate  oven.    Turn  out  and  eat  with  hard  sauce. 


BAKED  CANNED  PEACH  DUMPLINGS. 

Empty  a  can  of  cheap  peaches  (put  up  for  pies)  into  a  bowl, 
and  leave  uncovered  for  three  hours  or  more.  Make  a  good  bis- 
cuit-dough, roll  less  than  half  an  inch  thick,  cut  into  squares  from 
four  to  five  inches  wide,  drain  the  peaches,  and  lay  two  or  three 
halves  in  the  middle  of  each  square.  Fold  up  as  you  would  ap- 
ple dumplings,  lay  in  a  floured  pan,  folded  edges  down,  and  bake 
to  a  light  brown.  Serve  hot  with  sauce  made  of  the  strained 
peach-syrup  sweetened  and  with  a  tablespoon ful  of  butter.  Boil 
sharply  for  one  minute. 

BAKED  APPLE  DUMPLINGS. 

Prepare  as  for  boiling,  but  after  folding  the  crust  over  upon 
them  and  pinching  the  edges  together,  lay  them  in  a  greased 
bake-pan,  folded  edges  downward,  and  bake.  Wash  over  with 
cream  and  sugar  just  before  taking  them  up. 

BAKED  CHERRY  DUMPLINGS. 

One  quart  of  prepared  flour ;  two  heaping  tablespoon fu Is  of 
cottolene ;  two  cupfuls  of  fresh  milk  ;  a  little  salt ;  two  cupfuls 
of  stoned  cherries ;  one-half  cupful  of  sugar.  Rub  the  cottolene 
into  the  salted  flour;  wet  up  with  the  milk;  roll  into  a  sheet  a 
quarter  of  an  inch  thick,  and  cut  into  squares  about  four  inches 
across.  Put  two  great  spoonfuls  of  cherries  in  the  centre  of 
each;  sugar  them;  turn  up  the  edges  of  the  paste  and  pinch 
them  together.  Lay  the  joined  edges  downward,  upon  a  floured 
baking-pan,  and  bake  half  an  hour,  or  until  browned.  Eat 
hot  with  a  good  sauce. 

BAKED  BLACKBERRY  DUMPLINGS 

are  made  in  the  same  way. 


388  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

PEACH-BATTER  PUDDING. 

Twelve  rich  ripe  peaches,  pared  but  not  stoned  ;  one  quart  of 
milk;  about  ten  tablespoonfuls  of  prepared  flour;  five  beaten 
eggs;  one  tablespoonful  of  melted  butter;  one  saltspoonful  of 
salt.  Set  the  peaches  closely  together  in  a  buttered  pudding- 
dish,  strew  with  sugar,  and  pour  over  them  a  batter  made  of  the 
ingredients  above  named. 

BAKED  BLACKBERRY  PUDDING. 

One  quart  of  berries  ;  three  tablespoonfuls  of  melted  butter  ; 
one  cupful  of  milk  ;  one  and  a  half  cupfuls  of  prepared  flour 
sifted  twice  with  a  heaping  tablespoonful  of  salt;  three  eggs, 
beaten  light,  yolks  and  whites  separately. 

Add  the  milk  to  the  beaten  yolks,  then  the  butter,  and  the 
.prepared  flour,  alternately  with  the  stiffened  whites.  Pour  the 
batter  into  a  broad  pudding-dish,  well  greased,  and  upon  it  the 
blackberries  dredged  with  flour  and  mixed  with  four  tablespoon- 
fuls of  sugar.  Put  in  a  handful  at  a  time,  stirring  very  gently 
into  the  surface  of  the  batter.  Cover  and  bake  half  an  hour  in 
a  hot  oven  ;  uncover  and  leave  it  for  five  minutes  more.  Serve 
in  the  dish  with  hard  brandy  or  wine  sauce. 

MACARONI  PUDDING. 

One-half  pound  of  macaroni ;  one  pint  of  milk ;  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  butter ;  four  tablespoonfuls  of  cream  ;  four  table- 
spoonfuls  of  sugar ;  nutmeg  and  vanilla ;  a  little  salt.  Break 
the  macaroni  into  short  pieces,  put  into  a  farina-kettle,  cover 
with  the  milk,  put  on  the  lid  of  the  kettle,  and  cook  with  boil- 
ing water  in  the  outer  vessel,  until  the  milk  is  soaked  up  and 
the  macaroni  looks  clear,  but  has  not  begun  to  break.  Add  the 
butter,  sugar,  and  flavoring,  and,  if  you  have  it,  a  few  spoon- 
fuls of  cream.  If  you  have  not,  thicken  a  little  milk  slightly 
with  corn -starch,  and  use  instead.  Cover,  and  set  in  the  boil- 
ing water  for  ten  minutes  before  serving  in  a  deep  dish.  Eat 
with  powdered  sugar  and  cream. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK:  BOOK  389 

INDIAN  PUDDING. 

Three  pints  of  milk  ;  four  eggs  ;  one  heaping  cupful  of  yellow 
Indian  meal ;  one  small  cupful  of  molasses ;  two  tablespoonfuls 
of  butter ;  one  teaspoonful  of  salt  stirred  into  the  meal ;  one 
teaspoonful  of  ground  ginger ;  one  teaspoonful  of  cinnamon  and 
mace  mixed  ;  one  cupful  of  seeded  raisins. 

Heat  the  milk  in  a  double  boiler.  When  it  is  scalding-hot 
pour  it  on  the  salted  meal,  stirring  carefully  to  prevent  lumping. 
Return  to  the  fire  and  cook  for  half  an  hour,  stirring  often. 
Beat  the  molasses  and  butter  together,  add  to  these  the  eggs 
whipped  light,  the  spice  and  the  meal  and  milk,  and  beat  hard. 
Last  of  all,  stir  in  the  raisins.  Turn  all  into  a  buttered  pud- 
ding-dish and  bake  covered  three-quarters  of  an  hour.  Stir  the 
pudding  well  up  from  the  bottom  and  brown.  Make  a  hard 
sauce  by  creaming  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  with  a  cupful  of 
powdered  sugar,  and  season  to  taste  with  nutmeg  and  cinnamon. 
Cream,  liberally  sweetened  with  maple  sugar,  makes  a  good 
sauce  for  this  pudding. 

SWEET-POTATO  PUDDING. 

One  pound  of  parboiled  sweet  potatoes ;  half  a  cupful  of  but- 
ter ;  three-fourths  of  a  cupful  of  white  sugar  ;  one  tablespoonful 
of  cinnamon ;  four  eggs,  whites  and  yolks  beaten  separately ; 
one  teaspoonful  of  nutmeg;  one  lemon,  juice  and  grated  rind; 
one  glass  of  brandy.  Let  the  potatoes  get  entirely  cold,  and 
grate  them.  Cream  the  butter  and  sugar ;  add  the  yolks,  spice, 
and  lemon.  Beat  the  potato  in  by  degrees,  to  a  light  paste; 
then  the  brandy ;  lastly  the  whites.  Bake  in  a  buttered  dish, 
and  eat  cold. 

BREAD  PUDDING. 

Soak  two  cupfuls  of  fine,  dry  crumbs  in  a  quart  of  milk,  beat 
the  yolks  of  four  eggs  light  and  stir  into  the  soaked  crumbs, 
then  two  tablespoonfuls  of  melted  butter  and  half  a  teaspoonful 
of  soda  dissolved  in  warm  water,  finally,  fold  in  the  whites  as 


390  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

deftly  as  if  you  were  mixing  a  rich  cake.  Bake  in  a  well- 
greased  pudding-dish,  covered,  for  half  an  hour,  then  brown 
delicately  and  send  to  table  before  it  falls.  It  will  be  found  as 
delicate  as  a  souffle.  Eat  with  wine  sauce. 

You  may  vary  this  excellent  family  pudding  in  a  dozen  ways, 
by  the  addition  of  raisins,  currants,  citron,  almonds — blanched 
and  chopped — berries,  dredged  with  flour — cocoanut,  and  other 
devices  that  will  occur  to  the  ingenious  housewife.  Since  stale 
bread  must  be  used,  it  is  well  for  her  to  study  methods  of  doing 
this  to  advantage.  Crusts  are  inadmissible  and  the  crumbs  must 
be  fine  and  dry.  Dry  slices  of  stale  bread  in  an  open  oven  and 
crush  them  with  a  rolling-pin. 

BREAD-AND-JAM  PUDDING.    (No.  J.) 

Cut  the  crust  from  slices  of  stale  bread,  butter  them  thickly 
and  spread  more  thickly  with  jam,  marmalade,  or  fruit-jelly. 
Fit  a  layer  of  them  in  the  bottom  of  a  greased  bake-dish  and 
saturate  with  hot  custard,  made  by  scalding  a  quart  of  milk, 
pouring  it  upon  five  well- beaten  eggs  into  which  have  been 
stirred  five  tablespoon fuls  of  sugar,  then  stirring  over  the  fire  for 
one  minute,  but  not  until  it  thickens.  Let  each  layer  soak  up 
the  custard  before  putting  another  upon  it.  When  all  the  slices 
are  in  pour  in  the  rest  of  the  custard  ;  cover  the  dish  and  bake 
half  an  hour,  then  brown  lightly.  Eat  hot  with  lemon  sauce, 
or  cold  with  cream. 

BREAD-AND-JAM  PUDDING.  (No.  2.) 
Grease  a  deep  bake-dish  and  cover  the  bottom  an  inch  deep 
with  fine  crumbs.  Pour  in,  a  spoonful  at  a  time,  hot  custard 
made  as  in  last  recipe,  but  without  cooking  at  all  after  the  eggs 
and  sugar  go  in.  Merely  stir  it  long  enough  to  melt  the  sugar. 
When  the  crumbs  have  taken  it  up,  pour  half  a  cupful  of  straw- 
berry, peach,  or  other  jam,  or  if  you  have  nothing  else,  of  nice 
strained  apple  sauce  upon  the  crumbs  and  cover  with  another 
inch  of  crumbs.  Pour  the  custard  upon  these,  a  little  at  a  time, 
until  they  are  soaked  and  the  custard  stands  on  the  surface. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  391 

Cover  and  bake  half  an  hour,  and  brown  lightly.     Eat  ice-cold, 
with  cream.     It  is  very  nice. 

ENGLISH  BISCUIT  PUDDING. 

One  cupful  of  rolled  cracker-crumbs  (called  by  the  English 
"  biscuit  crumbs")  ;  half  a  cupful  of  powdered  beef-suet ;  three 
eggs;  three  cupfuls  of  milk  ;  three  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar  ;  piece 
of  soda  no  larger  than  a  pea  ;  one  teaspoonful  of  salt. 

Soak  the  crumbs  in  the  milk  until  stiff,  and  stir  into  this  the 
beaten  yolks ;  beat  three  minutes  ;  put  in  suet,  salt,  and  soda,  and 
then  "  fold  in  "  the  whites  dexterously  and  swiftly  with  long,  al- 
most horizontal,  sweeps  of  the  spoon.  Bake,  covered,  half  an 
hour,  brown,  and  eat  hot  with  brandy  or  wine  sauce. 

FARINA  SOUFFLE. 

Soak  half  a  cupful  of  farina  two  hours  in  just  enough  water  to 
cover  it.  Heat  two  cupfuls  of  milk  in  a  farina-kettle  with  a 
good  pinch  of  salt.  When  it  boils,  stir  in  the  soaked  farina  and 
continue  to  stir  until  it  thickens  well.  Take  from  the  fire  and 
mix  with  the  beaten  yolks  of  four  eggs.  Beat  all  together  for 
three  minutes,  and  set  aside  until  just  lukewarm.  Now  whip  in 
with  long,  even  side-strokes  the  stiffened  whites  of  the  eggs, 
pour  into  a  greased  bake-dish,  set  in  a  pan  of  boiling  water  and 
bake  in  a  hot  oven,  covered  for  the  first  ten  minutes,  and  uncov- 
ered for  fifteen.  It  should  puff  up  high  above  the  edge  of  the 
dish.  Send  to  table  in  the  bake-dish  and  eat  at  once  with  hot 
wine  sauce. 

TAPIOCA  PUDDING. 

Soak  a  cupful  of  pearl  tapioca  in  two  cupfuls  of  cold  water  for 
two  hours,  or  until  it  takes  up  all  the  water.  Warm  a  quart  of 
milk  to  scalding  and  stir  the  tapioca  into  it,  taking  from  the  fire 
to  do  it.  Let  it  get  almost  cold,  beat  up  for  one  minute  from 
the  bottom,  and  add  two  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar  creamed  with 
one  of  butter  and  beaten  light  with  the  whipped  yolks  of  five 
eggs.  When  it  is  well  mixed  whip  in  the  stiffened  whites  of  the 


392  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

eggs ;  pour  into  a  buttered  dish  and  bake,  covered,  half  an  hour, 
then  brown  delicately. 

Eat  hot  with  wine,  lemon,  or  brandy  sauce. 

SAGO  PUDDING. 

Make  as  you  would  tapioca,  but  soak  the  sago  an  hour  longer. 
Either  of  these  puddings  is  made  more  elegant  by  reserving  two 
of  the  whites,  and  when  the  pudding  is  nearly  done,  and  quite 
firm,  drawing  it  to  the  door  of  the  oven  and  spreading  upon  the 
surface  the  reserved  whites  whipped  to  a  meringue  with  a  table- 
spoonful  of  powdered  sugar.  Shut  the  oven  for  two  minutes  to 
set  and  lightly  color  the  meringue. 

APPLE-AND-TAPIOCA  PUDDING. 

Cover  half  a  pint  of  tapioca  with  one  pint  of  water ;  soak 
overnight.  In  the  morning  add  one  pint  of  hot  water  ;  stand  a 
saucepan  over  the  fire,  and  cook  very  slowly,  without  stirring, 
until  the  tapioca  is  clear.  If  the  water  has  been  entirely  ab- 
sorbed add  enough  to  make  the  mixture  soft  enough  to  pour 
easily.  Pare  and  core  six  good-sized  apples.  Put  them  in  a 
pudding-dish,  add  four  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar  and  a  cupful  of 
water.  Place  them  in  the  oven  and  cook  slowly  until  you  can 
pierce  them  with  a  fork.  Now  fill  the  cores  with  the  tapioca 
and  cover  them  with  what  remains.  Stand  the  dish  away  until 
the  contents  are  ice-cold.  Serve  with  sugar  and  cream.  It  may 
also  be  eaten  warm  with  cream,  or  sweet  sauce. 

PLAIN  RICE  PUDDING. 

Soak  half  a  cupful  of  raw  rice  (which  has  been  well  washed)  in 
a  pint  of  warm  milk  for  two  hours.  Keep  the  milk  warm  by 
setting  the  vessel  containing  it  and  the  rice  in  another  of  boiling 
water,  kept  at  one  side  of  the  range.  Put  a  good  pinch  of  salt 
into  the  milk,  with  a  pinch  of  soda.  By  this  time  it  should  have 
absorbed  all  the  milk.  Put  in  a  quart  more,  turn  the  mixture 
into  a  pudding-dish,  add  four  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar,  a  table- 
spoonful  of  melted  butter,  and  a  little  vanilla,  or  nutmeg,  or  cin- 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  393 

namon.  Set  in  a  pan  of  hot  water  in  a  slow  oven,  cover  and 
bake  for  two  hours.  Should  the  rice  grow  dry,  add  hot  milk 
enough  to  fill  the  dish. 

RICE-AND-RAISIN  PUDDING. 

Make  as  just  directed,  and  when  the  pudding  has  cooked  one 
hour,  stir  in  three  tablespoon fuls  of  seeded  and  halved  raisins, 
dredged  with  flour. 

CUSTARD  RICE  PUDDING.    (No.  J.) 

Soak  half  a  cupful  of  washed  rice  in  a  pint  of  milk  for  an  hour, 
then  set  the  saucepan  containing  it  in  another  of  hot  water  and 
bring  the  latter  to  a  boil,  keeping  this  up  until  the  rice  is  soft. 
Spread  upon  a  platter  to  cool.  Beat  the  yolks  of  four  eggs  light, 
stir  into  them  half  a  cupful  of  sugar  creamed  with  a  tablespoon- 
ful  of  butter,  and  the  cooled  rice,  with  two  cupfuls  of  cold  milk, 
beat  in  the  stiffened  whites,  turn  into  a  pudding-dish  and  bake 
covered  half  an  hour,  uncovered  fifteen  minutes.  Grate  nutmeg 
or  sprinkle  mace  on  the  top. 

Eat  warm — not  hot — with  hot  sauce,  or  cold  with  cream. 
You  may  add  a  handful  of  raisins,  seeded  and  chopped,  when 
the  pudding  goes  into  the  oven. 

CUSTARD  RICE  PUDDING.    (No.  2.) 

One  quart  of  milk ;  three  well-beaten  eggs  ;  four  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  sugar ;  one  small  cupful  of  boiled  and  still  warm  rice ; 
one  scant  tablespoonful  of  butter;  a  little  salt.  Cream  butter 
and  sugar ;  add  the  beaten  eggs,  salt,  then  the  rice  stirred  warm 
into  the  milk.  Bake  in  a  buttered  dish  half  an  hour  in  a  quick 
oven.  Eat  warm.  Simple,  wholesome,  and  palatable. 

COTTAGE  PUDDING. 

Cream  a  cupful  of  sugar  with  a  large  tablespoonful  of  butter, 
beat  into  this  the  whipped  yolks  of  two  eggs,  and  into  this  a 
cupful  of  milk.  Stir  in  alternately  with  the  stiffened  whites  of 
the  eggs  three  cupfuls  of  flour,  sifted  twice  with  one  rounded 


394  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder,  and  an  even  teaspoon- 
fulofsalt. 

Beat  one  minute  and  bake  in  a  buttered  mould,  until  a  straw 
comes  out  clean  from  the  centre  of  the  loaf.  Turn  out  and  slice 
while  hot.  Pass  liquid  sauce  with  it.  * 

One  of  the  simplest  of  our  popular  puddings. 

ORANGE  PUDDING. 

Peel,  slice,  and  seed  oranges.  Make  a  good  biscuit-crust, 
roll  out  less  than  half  an  inch  thick,  cut  an  oblong  sheet  twice  as 
long  as  wide,  lay  the  sliced  oranges  on  it,  sprinkle  with  sugar, 
roll  up  and  bake. 

Eat  with  sauce. 

APPLE  COMPOTE  AU  GRATEST. 

Make  a  quart  of  good  apple  sauce,  rubbing  it  very  smooth, 
and  beat  in,  while  hot,  sugar  to  make  it  quite  sweet,  nutmeg, 
and  a  great  spoonful  of  butter.  Make  a  heap  of  it  (it  should  be 
rather  stiff  when  cold)  upon  a  deep  plate  or  pie-dish.  Wash  all 
over  with  beaten  egg  and  sift  rolled  cracker  thickly  upon  it. 
Bake  half  an  hour  and  eat  hot  with  butter  and  sugar. 

PRUNE  SOUFFLE.    (No.  J.) 

Stew  a  dozen  and  a  half  of  prunes,  drain,  and  when  they  are 
cold,  chop  fine.  Beat  to  a  stiff  meringue  the  whites  of  seven 
eggs  and  seven  tablespoonfuls  of  fine  granulated  sugar.  Stir  in 
the  prunes,  turn  the  mixture  into  a  buttered  pudding-dish  and 
bake  -half  an  hour  in  a  good  oven. 

Serve  at  once,  and  eat  with  whipped  cream.  It  is  a  delicious 
dessert. 

PRUNE  SOUFFLE.    (No.  2.) 
A  Turkish  Recipe. 

Soak  half  a  pound  of  fine  Turkish  prunes  in  cold  water  for  six 
hours.  Stew  until  soft,  remove  the  stones,  drain  off  the  liquor 
in  which  they  were  boiled,  and  set  aside  for  sauce ;  chop  the 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  395 

prunes  and  add  four  tablespoon  fills  of  sugar,  beating  to  a  paste. 
Let  them  get  cold,  whip  the  whites  of  six  eggs  to  a  standing 
froth,  beat  in  the  prune-paste,  and  bake  quickly  in  a  hot  oven. 

Serve  hot  with  a  sauce  made  of  the  prune-liquor  heated, 
sweetened  abundantly,  and  flavored  with  maraschino,  or  other 
liqueur. 

CHOCOLATE  SOUFFLE. 

Make  a  roux  by  heating  a  tablespoon ful  of  butter  in  a  sauce- 
pan, stirring  into  it  two  tablespoonfuls  of  flour,  and,  as  it  thickens, 
thinning  with  five  tablespoonfuls  of  scalding  milk.  Cook  two 
minutes.  Have  ready,  beaten  light,  the  yolks  of  three  eggs  and 
two  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar.  Stir  the  thickened  milk  into  these, 
beat  one  minute  and  add  four  tablespoonfuls  of  grated  chocolate. 
Beat  hard  until  the  mixture  begins  to  cool,  then  set  aside  until 
cold,  closely  covered,  to  keep  it  from  hardening  on  top.  Bake 
half  an  hour  in  a  quick  oven,  and  serve  immediately  before  it 
falls.  Eat  with  whipped  cream. 

This  is  a  fine  souffle"  for  those  who  like  chocolate — and  most 
people  do. 

PINEAPPLE  PUDDING. 

Butter  a  pudding-dish,  put  into  the  bottom  slices  of  stale 
sponge  cake,  wet  these  with  a  little  sherry  wine  and  cover  with 
freshly  chopped  pineapple.  If  it  stand  even  a  few  minutes  the 
color  changes.  Strew  powdered  sugar  over  the  pineapple.  Put 
in  more  cake  and  wine  and  more  pineapple  until  the  dish  is  full. 
The  top  layer  should  be  cake  and  well  soaked.  Cover  closely, 
and  bake  one  hour  in  a  good  oven.  Eat  hot  with  lemon  sauce. 

"POP-OVERS." 

Heat  a  pint  of  milk  to  scalding,  and  melt  in  it  a  large  spoon- 
ful of  butter.  While  it  is  still  warm — a  little  more  than  luke- 
warm— beat  in  the  yolks  of  five  eggs,  and  three  cupfuls  of  flour 
sifted  with  two  rounded  teaspoonfuls  of  Cleveland's  Baking 
Powder.  Add  flour  if  needful,  for  a  rather  stiff  batter,  and  set 
this  upon  ice,  or  in  a  cold  place  until  thoroughly  chilled.  Then 


396  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

beat  in    the  whites  whipped  stiff,  and   bake  in  greased  muffin- 
rings,  or  pate-pans,  or  in  custard-cups. 

Serve  as  soon  as  they  are  baked.  Split,  without  cutting  them 
open,  and  eat  with  liquid  sauce. 

APPLE  POP-OVERS. 

Make  a  white  roux  of  two  tablespoon fuls  of  flour  stirred  into 
one  of  hissing  butter,  and  when  thick,  thinned  with  two  cupfuls 
of  scalding  milk.  Stir  two  minutes  and  pour  upon  the  beaten 
yolks  of  four  eggs.  (A  bit  of  soda  three  times  as  large  as  a  pea 
should  go  into  the  hot  milk.)  Have  ready  six  fine  pippins,  pared, 
and  grate  them  directly  into  the  sugarless  custard.  Lastly,  whip 
in  the  stiffened  whites,  half  fill  greased  custard-cups  or  nappies 
with  the  mixture,  set  in  a  pan  of  hot  water  and  bake  in  a  quick 
oven  until  they  puff  high  and  are  lightly  browned. 

Turn  out  at  table  upon  hot  plates  and  serve  brandy  sauce  with 
them. 

LEMON  PUDDING. 

Soak  two  cupfuls  of  crumbs  in  a  quart  of  milk  until  very  soft. 
Stir  a  quarter  of  a  teaspoonful  of  soda  into  the  milk.  Beat  into 
this  the  whipped  yolks  of  five  eggs,  and  half  a  cupful  of  butter  that 
has  been  creamed  with  a  cupful  of  sugar.  Add,  now,  the  rind 
of  a  lemon,  grated  fine,  and  two  tablespoonfuls  of  lemon-juice. 
Beat  hard  for  two  minutes;  stir  in  half  a  cupful  of  raisins, 
seeded,  chopped,  and  dredged  with  flour,  and  bake  in  a  greased 
pudding-dish  until  firm  and  beginning  to  brown.  Have  ready 
a  meringue  of  the  whipped  whites,  three  tablespoonfuls  of  pow- 
dered sugar,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  lemon-juice.  Open  the  oven 
door,  spread  this  high  upon  the  hot  pudding,  quickly  and 
smoothly ;  shut  the  door  and  color  lightly.  Sift  sugar  over  the 
top,  and  when  the  pudding  cools  set  on  ice  until  you  are  ready 
to  eat  it. 

ORANGE  PUDDING 

is  made  in  the  same  way.     You  can,   if  you  like,   omit   the 
raisins. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  397 


LA  REGINA  PUDDING. 

One  cupful  of  crumbs  soaked  in  half  a  cupful  of  milk.  Three 
quarters  of  a  cupful  of  sugar,  creamed  with  a  tablespoonful  of 
butter.  Six  eggs,  whites  and  yolks  beaten  separately.  Half  a 
pound  each  of  stale  sponge  cake  and  the  same  of  macaroons. 
Haifa  cupful  of  jelly — crab-apple  or  quince  or  currant — and  half 
a  cupful  of  sherry.  One  lemon. 

Beat  the  whipped  yolks  into  the  bread-crumbs  with  the  lemon- 
juice  and  grated  peel.  Stir  and  beat  for  a  whole  minute  before 
adding  the  stiffened  whites  of  the  eggs.  Butter  a  round  mould 
with  straight  sides,  or  a  round  one  which  is  not  fluted,  and  put 
a  layer  of  fine  dry  crumbs  in  the  bottom  ;  upon  this  arrange  one 
of  macaroons,  and  another,  half  an  inch  deep,  of  the  mixture  just 
made.  Next  lay  slices  of  sponge  cake,  spread  thickly  with  jelly, 
more  macaroons,  wet  with  wine,  more  custard,  sponge  cake  and 
wine  until  all  the  ingredients  are  in,  the  custard  on  top.  Cover 
closely,  set  in  a  pan  of  boiling  water  and  cook  in  the  oven  for 
one  hour.  Then  uncover  and  brown.  Turn  out  upon  a  hot 
platter,  and  pour  a  sauce  over  it  made  of  currant  jelly  warmed 
and  beaten  light  with  two  tablespoonfuls  of  melted  butter  and  a 
glass  of  sherry. 

This  is  an  Italian  recipe,  and  the  result  is  good. 

MACARONI  SOUFFLE. 

Break  half  a  pound  of  macaroni  into  inch  lengths  and  boil 
tender  in  a  quart  of  milk  slightly  salted.  It  should  absorb  nearly 
if  not  all  the  milk.  Put  aside  until  cold ;  beat  into  it  the 
whipped  yolks  of  four  eggs  and  four  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar. 
Season  with  vanilla,  or  other  essence,  then  whip  in  the  stiffened 
whites  of  the  eggs  and  bake  in  a  deep  dish  set  in  a  pan  of  hot 
water  in  a  quick  oven. 

Serve  with  sweetened  cream  or  with  wine  sauce. 


398  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

VERMICELLI  SOUFFLE 
is  made  in  the  same  way. 

RHUBARB  PUDDING. 

Butter  a  pudding-dish  and  cover  the  bottom  an  inch  deep 
with  fine  crumbs.  Sprinkle  this  with  bits  of  butter  and  lay  upon 
it  raw  rhubarb  that  has  been  cut  into  thin  pieces  half  an  inch 
long.  Scatter  over  this  a  dozen  raisins,  seeded  and  halved,  and 
two  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar.  Cover  with  buttered  crumbs,  then 
more  rhubarb,  filling  the  dish  to  the  top,  the  uppermost  layer 
being  crumbs,  buttered,  sugared,  and  strewed  with  a  teaspoon- 
ful  of  grated  orange-peel.  Bake,  covered,  for  an  hour  in  a  mod- 
erate oven.  Uncover  and  brown.  Eat  hot  with  sauce. 

RHUBARB  AND  TAPIOCA  PUDDING. 

Wash  a  scant  cupful  of  pearl  tapioca  and  soak  four  hours  in  a 
pint  of  lukewarm  water.  It  should  absorb  all  the  water.  But- 
ter a  pudding-dish  and  cover  the  bottom  thickly  with  sliced  rhu- 
barb cut  small.  Strew  upon  this  a  heaping  tablespoonful  of  sugar. 
Scatter  a  teaspoonful  of  chopped  raisins  over  the  rhubarb  and 
put  half  of  the  soaked  tapioca  upon  it.  Dot  plentifully  with 
butter,  sprinkle  with  two  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar,  more  rhubarb, 
raisins,  and  sugar,  then  the  rest  of  the  tapioca  with  butter  and 
sugar  as  before.  There  should  be  two  cupfuls  of  rhubarb  in  all. 
Bake  one  hour,  covered,  brown,  and  send  to  table  in  the  pud- 
ding-dish. Eat  hot  with  hard  or  liquid  sauce. 

VERMICELLI  PUDDING. 

Heat  a  cupful  of  milk  to  scalding,  salt  slightly  and  cook  ten- 
der in  it  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  vermicelli.  Stir  into  it  while 
warm  four  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar  and  two  of  butter  and  let  it 
cool.  When  quite  cold  add  the  beaten  yolks  of  five  eggs  and 
two  tablespoonfuls  of  blanched  and  chopped  almonds.  Beat  all 
well  together,  and  whip  in  lightly  the  stiffened  whites  of  the 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  399 

eggs.     Bake,  covered,  three-quarters  of  an  hour,   then  brown. 
Eat  warm  with  liquid  sauce. 

THE  QUEEN  OF  PUDDINGS. 

Cream  a  cupful  of  sugar  with  a  heaping  tablespoonful  of  butter  ; 
beat  into  the  cream  the  whipped  yolks  of  five  eggs.  Add  next 
two  cupfuls  of  dry  crumbs  soaked  in  a  quart  of  milk.  Season 
with  vanilla,  lemon,  or  bitter  almond.  Beat  two  minutes  and 
pour  into  a  greased  pudding-dish.  Bake,  covered,  half  an  hour, 
or  until  the  custard  is  tolerably  firm  in  the  middle.  Draw  to  the 
oven  door  and  cover  with  the  jelly,  and  the  jelly  with  a  me- 
ringue of  the  reserved  whites,  beaten  stiff,  with  two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  powdered  sugar.  Shut  up  in  the  oven  until  it  is  very 
delicately  colored. 

Eat  cold  with  cream.  In  spring  and  summer  substitute  straw- 
berries or  fresh  peaches  for  the  jelly.  The  pudding  then  really 
deserves  its  name. 


FAMILIAR  TALK* 

WHOLESALE    OR    RETAIL? 

The  tradition  is  current  among  housekeepers  that  there  is  great 
economy  in  buying  supplies  in  large  quantities.  The  learned  of 
them  will  dilate  upon  the  amount  that  may  be  saved  by  getting 
flour,  sugar,  and  potatoes  by  the  barrel,  butter  by  the  tub,  coffee 
by  the  bag.  They  prove  to  you  that  you  can  put  money  in  your 
pocket  by  purchasing  a  crate  of  eggs  at  a  time  and  pickling  them 
for  winter  use.  They  buy  meat  in  the  piece,  as  it  were,  and  tell 
you  triumphantly  how  much  they  can  thus  save  on  a  pound  over 
the  ordinary  retail  price. 

While  all  these  data  are  useful  and  encouraging  to  the  woman 
who  has  big  pantries  and  a  roomy  cellar,  they  strike  dismay  to 
the  heart  of  her  who  must  perforce  dwell  in  a  flat.  There  is  no 
place  in  her  apartment  for  a  barrel  of  flour.  If  that  came  in,  one 
of  the  family  would  probably  have  to  go  out.  The  mere  thought 


400  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

of  buying  a  bushel  of  potatoes  at  a  time  seems  like  a  dream  of  ex- 
travagance, and  in  her  moments  of  wildest  unreason  she  never 
contemplated  a  barrel  of  sugar. 

So  when  she  reads  or  hears  all  these  wise  counsels  of  notable 
housewives  her  heart  sinks  within  her,  and  she  feels  that  she  is 
an  extravagant  wretch  who  wastes  her  income,  in  that  she  buys 
sugar  and  butter  by  the  pound,  potatoes  by  the  quart  or  < '  small 
measure,"  and  eggs  by  the  dozen,  or  "  quarter's  worth,"  as  they 
say  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York.  What  does  it  matter  that  her 
family  is  small  and  would  take  a  week  to  consume  a  quarter  of 
mutton  ?  According  to  the  best  judges,  she  cannot  practise  true 
economy  unless  she  buys  her  provisions  in  bulk. 

After  a  while,  if  she  is  a  woman  of  spirit,  she  plucks  up  heart 
and  begins  to  do  a  little  figuring  and  make  a  few  estimates  on 
her  own  account.  And  if  she  is  clear-headed  and  practical  she 
finds  before  long  that  there  may  be  as  much  economy  in  her 
mode  of  living  as  there  is  in  that  of  her  neighbor  who  has  larder- 
room  to  spare ;  for  there  are  undoubted  advantages  in  buying 
provisions  in  small  quantities.  In  the  face  of  much  evidence  to 
the  contrary,  one  housekeeper  might  hesitate  to  make  this  asser- 
tion, were  she  not  backed  up  by  the  testimony  of  the  thrifty 
French,  who  bear  the  reputation  among  all  nations  of  having  re- 
duced— or  elevated — elegant  economy  to  a  science.  The  French 
housewife  never  buys  her  supplies  in  large  quantities.  Not  only 
bread  and  milk,  but  butter,  potatoes,  flour,  sugar,  and  the  like 
are  bought  by  the  day.  So  closely  does  she  calculate  that  fre- 
quently there  is  not  enough  left  in  the  pantry  at  bedtime  to  pro- 
vide the  scantiest  of  breakfasts.  The  Italians  follow  the  same 
plan,  and  literally  live  by  the  day. 

All  the  traditions  of  the  American  housekeeper  are  against  her 
following  their  example  to  the  extreme.  Yet  she  knows  that  the 
system  has  merit,  and  after  she  has  modified  it  to  suit  New 
World  ideas  she  pursues  it  with  exceeding  peace  of  mind  and 
pocket. 

In  the  first  place  she  sees  that  she  would  save  little  money  in 
buying  dry  groceries  by  the  large  quantity,  and  that  little  would 


THE  NATI01VAL    COOK  BOOK  4OI 

be  more  than  lost  by  the  extravagance  generally  induced  by 
having  a  practically  unlimited  supply  of  any  commodity  in  the 
house.  Such  extravagance  is  not  confined  to  hirelings.  The 
careful  housekeeper  herself  feels  it  when  she  takes  advantage  of 
the  tub  of  butter  just  come  from  the  country,  or  the  full  barrel 
of  sugar,  to  make  costly  dainties.  She  would  think  several  times 
before  she  made  pound  cake  or  fruit  cake  or  puff  paste  if  she 
had  to  send  to  the  grocer's  and  pay  ready  money  for  the  ingre- 
dients. She  finds  that  where  this  is  to  be  done  both  she  and 
the  cook  are  more  prudent. 

Another  advantage  gained  is  that  of  knowing  exactly  what  she 
consumes  in  the  week.  When  she  buys  three  and  a  half  pounds 
of  sugar,  a  pound  of  butter,  and  a  dozen  eggs  on  Saturday,  she 
knows  just  about  how  long  these  should  last.  If  there  is  a 
waste,  she  can  check  it  promptly,  and  she  can  estimate  pretty 
nearly  what  her  housekeeping  bills  should  be  at  the  end  of  the 
week. 

There  is  extra  labor  avoided  by  her  system.  For  her  there  are 
no  unpleasant  hours  spent  in  picking  over  apples,  potatoes,  and 
winter  vegetables.  She  has  not  to  count  upon  a  certain  amount 
of  loss  from  rotting  and  withering.  Her  grocer  bears  that  loss. 
His  shop  is  her  pantry,  to  which  she  goes  and  gets  her  vegetables 
and  fruit  by  the  quart  or  the  half  dozen.  There  will  be  no 
maggots  in  the  corn-meal  or  Graham  flour  when  she  gets  only 
two  or  three  pounds  of  it  at  a  time.  If  a  freshly  opened  package 
of  oatmeal  is  musty  she  knows  it  reached  that  state  on  the 
grocer's  shelves,  and  sends  it  back  to  him  forthwith.  The  coffee 
in  her  small  canister  cannot  lose  its  strength,  for  it  is  constantly 
used  and  constantly  renewed.  Butter  never  grows  rancid,  eggs 
never  become  stale,  on  her  hands.  Sufficient  unto  the  day  are 
her  provisions  and  the  good  and  the  evil  thereof.  Even  when 
she  buys  meat  she  has  her  points  of  privilege  ;  for,  as  she  says 
wisely,  where  is  the  advantage  of  getting  so  much  of  one  thing 
that  it  is  impossible  to  eat  it  all  ?  She  shows  wisdom  when  she 
purchases  her  meat  as  she  needs  it.  She  finds  the  economy  of 
small  cuts.  She  does  not  get  a  leg  of  lamb  at  sixteen  cents  a 
26 


402  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

pound,  but  the  shoulder  at  ten  cents  a  pound,  and  finds  it  no 
whit  inferior  to  the  higher-priced  piece.  A  well-cut  "  Delmon- 
ico  "  or  "short"  steak  is  as  juicy  and  tender  as  a  sirloin.  A 
small  roast  may  be  as  well  cooked  with  care  as  a  large  one.  She 
acquires  a  fine  taste  in  ragouts,  salmis,  scallops,  and  croquettes, 
and  it  is  gradually  borne  in  upon  her  that  there  is  a  common- 
sense  foundation  for  the  apparent  paradox  that  pronounces  the 
French  nation  the  best  cooks  and  the  most  economical  providers 
of  the  civilized  world. 

C.  T.  H. 


PUDDING  SAUCES. 

MILK-PUDDING  SAUCE. 

Two  eggs,  beaten  stiff ;  one  cupful  of  sugar ;  five  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  boiling  milk  ;  one  teaspoonful  of  arrow-root  or  corn-starch 
wet  with  cold  milk  ;  one  teaspoonful  of  nutmeg  or  mace ;  one 
tablespoonful  of  butter.  Rub  the  butter  into  the  sugar,  add  the 
beaten  eggs,  and  work  all  to  a  creamy  froth.  Wet  the  corn- 
starch  and  put  in  next  with  the  spice ;  finally,  pour  in  by  the 
spoonful  the  boiling  milk,  beating  well  all  the  time.  Set  within 
a  saucepan  of  boiling  water  for  five  minutes,  stirring  all  the  while, 
but  do  not  let  the  sauce  boil.  This  is  a  good  sauce  for  bread 
and  other  simple  puddings. 

CREAM  SAUCE. 

Two  cupfuls  of  rich  milk — half  cream  if  you  can  get  it ;  four 
tablespoonfuls  of  sugar;  whites  of  two  eggs,  whipped  stiff;  one 
teaspoonful  of  extract  of  bitter  almonds ;  half  a  teaspoonful  of 
nutmeg  ;  one  even  tablespoonful  of  corn-starch  wet  up  with  cold 
water.  Heat  the  milk  to  scalding ;  add  the  sugar  ;  stir  in  the 
corn-starch.  When  it  thickens  beat  in  the  stiffened  whites,  then 
the  seasoning.  Take  from  the  fire  and  set  in  boiling  water  to 
keep  warm — but  not  cook — until  wanted. 

VANILLA  SAUCE. 

One  cupful  of  boiling  water ;  two  teaspoonfuls  of  corn-starch 
wet  up  in  cold  water  ;  one  heaping  teaspoonful  of  butter;  half 
a  cupful  of  sugar  ;  juice  of  half  a  lemon  ;  one  teaspoonful  of 
vanilla  ;  pinch  of  nutmeg. 


404  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

Stir  the  wet  corn-starch  into  the  water  with  the  sugar,  and 
cook  clear ;  put  in  the  butter  and  beat  one  minute  before  adding 
the  vanilla  and  nutmeg. 

Use  for  plain  puddings — rice,  bread,  and  the  like. 

SOUFFLE  SAUCE  (COLD). 

Scald  a  cupful  of  milk  and  stir  into  it  a  teaspoonful  of  corn- 
starch  wet  with  milk.  Cook,  stirring  all  the  time,  for  three 
minutes.  Take  from  the  fire  and  beat  in  the  yolk  of  an  egg 
which  has  been  whipped  light  with  half  a  cupful  of  powdered 
sugar.  Let  the  mixture  get  cold ;  flavor  with  bitter  almond  or 
vanilla,  and  when  you  are  at  dinner  let  an  assistant  whip  in 
the  stiffened  whites  of  two  eggs.  It  should  look  like  cream- 
colored  snow.  Eat  with  fruit  or  tapioca  pudding. 

LEMON  SOUFFLE  SAUCE. 

Make  as  just  directed,  but,  instead  of  the  essence,  beat  into 
the  cold  mixture  the  juice  and  half  the  grated  peel  of  a  lemon. 
This  is  nice  with  apple  puddings. 

SHERRY  SAUCE. 

Cream  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  with  a  cupful  of  pow- 
dered sugar,  beating  in  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon  until  the  cream 
is  light  and  white  ;  add  two  tablespoonfuls  of  hot  water  with  a 
dash  of  mace.  Set  in  boiling  water  over  the  fire,  stir  for  two 
minutes  or  until  scalding-hot,  and  just  before  it  goes  to  table  add 
a  glassful  of  brown  or  pale  sherry.  Eat  with  cabinet,  fruit,  or 
batter  pudding. 

BRANDY  SAUCE. 

Cream  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  with  a  scant  cupful  of  pow- 
dered sugar  and  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon.  Stir  in  three  table- 
spoonfuls  of  boiling  water,  beat  two  minutes  over  the  fire,  or  un- 
til hot,  stir  in  quickly  the  stiffened  whites  of  two  eggs,  take 
from  the  fire,  add  a  wineglassful  of  brandy,  and  serve  at  once. 

Send  in  with  plum  pudding  or  any  rich  dumpling  or  fritter. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  405 

EGG  SAUCE. 

Yolks  of  four  eggs,  well  beaten  ;  one  cupful  of  sugar  and  one 
tablespoonful  of  butter ;  one  level  teaspoonful  of  mixed  cinna- 
mon and  nutmeg ;  juice  of  half  a  lemon  and  half  the  grated 
peel ;  one  wineglassful  of  wine. 

Cream  butter,  and  sugar,  add  beaten  yolks  and  spice.  Beat 
hard  five  minutes,  and  set  in  a  saucepan  of  boiling  water,  stir- 
ring until  it  is  hot.  It  must  not  boil.  Add  the  wine  just  be- 
fore it  goes  to  table. 

CUSTARD  SAUCE. 

Scald  two  cupfuls  of  milk  and  pour  upon  a  cupful  of  powdered 
sugar,  beaten  light  with  the  yolks  of  two  eggs.  Season  with 
nutmeg  or  cinnamon  and  stir  until  it  thickens  slightly.  Remove 
from  the  fire,  whip  in  the  stiffened  whites,  set  in  boiling  water 
to  keep  warm,  but  not  over  the  fire,  and  just  before  it  goes  to 
table  add  a  teaspoonful  of  vanilla  or  other  essence. 

JELLY  SAUCE. 

Heat  a  large  tablespoonful  of  butter  in  a  saucepan  and  while 
it  is  still  on  the  fire  stir  into  it  half  a  glassful  of  currant  or  other 
tart  jelly,  and  a  tablespoonful  of  sugar.  When  the  mixture  is 
smooth,  put  in  as  much  corn-starch  as  would  lie  upon  a  dime, 
wet  up  with  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon.  This  is  to  prevent  the 
butter  from  oiling  and  separating  from  the  jelly.  Cook  for  two 
minutes  and  keep  hot  in  a  vessel  of  boiling  water,  and  just  be- 
fore sending  to  table  add  two  glasses  of  wine.  This  is  an  ex- 
cellent sauce  for  rich  puddings. 

FRUIT -JUICE  SAUCES. 

The  same  rules  apply  to  them  all.  Squeeze  the  juice  from  the 
fruit  through  a  coarse  bag ;  cream  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  with 
a  cupful  of  sugar,  and  if  you  wish  to  have  a  hard  sauce,  beat  in 
the  fruit-juice  until  you  have  a  frothy  mass ;  then  set  it  on  ice  to 
form. 


406  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

If  you  would  like  to  have  a  liquid  sauce,  heat  the  juice,  and 
after  beating  it  into  the  creamed  butter  and  sugar,  set  it  in  boil- 
ing water  to  heat,  adding,  when  it  is  at  boiling  point,  a  very 
little  corn-starch  or  arrow-root  wet  up  in  cold  water,  to  prevent 
juice  and  butter  from  separating.  Cook  three  minutes,  stirring 
often. 

STRAWBERRY  SAUCE.    (No.  J.) 

Beat  two  ounces  of  butter  to  a  cream  with  one  cupful  of  pow- 
dered sugar  ;  add  one  mashed  strawberry,  beat  it  well ;  add  an- 
other, and  so  continue  until  the  sauce  is  a  pretty  pink.  If  the 
strawberries  seem  to  give  the  sauce  a  curdled  appearance,  add 
just  a  little  more  sugar.  Stand  on  ice  to  harden. 

STRAWBERRY  SAUCE.    (No.  2.) 

One  gill  of  butter  ;  one  cupful  of  sugar ;  one  cupful  of  ripe 
strawberries,  mashed  ;  white  of  one  egg. 

Cream  together  butter  and  sugar  ;  add  the  white  of  the  egg 
beaten  to  a  very  stiff  froth,  and  the  strawberries  thoroughly 
mashed.  When  well  beaten  together  serve  cold. 

BRANDED  PEACH  SAUCE. 

Cream  one  tablespoonful  of  butter  with  four  of  powdered 
sugar,  and  pour  upon  it  a  cupful  of  liquor  drained  from  brand ied 
peaches,  and  heated  in  a  covered  saucepan  that  the  brandy  may 
not  evaporate.  Stir  all  together,  and  add  a  quarter  of  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  arrow-root  wet  up  in  a  little  cold  water.  Set  in  boil- 
ing water  and  cover  until  scalding-hot,  then  stir  for  three 
minutes  and  serve. 

The  liquor  from  any  canned  or  brandied  fruit  may  be  treated 
in  like  manner.  If  canned  fruit-liquor  is  used,  double  the  quan- 
tity of  sugar. 

TART  CLARET  SAUCE. 

Instead  of  throwing  away  the  tart  claret  left  or  overlooked  in 
bottles  that  have  been  opened  and  partly  used,  make  it  into  pud- 
ding sauce. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  40? 

Cream  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  with  a  cupful  of  sugar.  Heat 
a  cupful  of  claret  in  a  saucepan,  stir  into  it  half  a  teaspoonful  of 
arrow-root  or  corn-starch,  cook  one  minute,  beat  gradually  into 
the  creamed  butter  and  sugar,  and  put  away  upon  ice  for  hard 
sauce,  or  set  it  into  a  vessel  of  boiling  water,  and  cover  until 
needed,  for  liquid  sauce. 

WHITE  HARD  SAUCE. 

Cream  two  tablespoon fuls  of  butter  with  a  heaping  cupful  of 
powdered  sugar,  beat  into  it  the  juice  of  a  lemon,  a  liberal  pinch 
of  nutmeg,  and  when  the  mixture  is  white  and  creamy,  a  glass  of 
wine  or  brandy,  or  a  teaspoonful  of  essence. 

PINK  HARD  SAUCE. 

Make  as  just  directed,  and  whip  in  enough  powdered  cochineal 
to  give  a  pretty  pink. 

RUBY  HARD  SAUCE. 

Cream  two  tablespoon  fuls  of  butter  with  a  cupful  of  powdered 
sugar,  and  beat  in  half  a  cupful  of  red  currant  jelly.  Set  on  the 
ice  to  form. 

HARD  BRANDY  SAUCE. 

Cream  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  with  a  cupful  of  powdered 
sugar.  Whip  in  a  little  lemon-juice  to  whiten  and  make  light 
the  cream,  then  a  teaspoonful  of  mixed  cinnamon  and  mace,  and 
a  wineglassful  of  brandy. 

PUREE  OF  FRUIT  SAUCE. 

Crush  strawberries,  raspberries,  and  cherries,  chop  peaches, 
pineapples,  and  apricots,  and  grate  apples,  when  you  would  have 
a  puree  of  fruit.  In  any  case  have  ready  the  invariable  creamed  but- 
ter-and-sugar — two  tablespoonfuls  of  one  to  a  cupful  of  the  other. 
Stir  this  cream  to  a  boil  over  the  fire,  beat  in  a  teaspoonful  of 
arrow-root  wet  up  in  cold  water,  cook  two  minutes,  and  add  the 
fruit  before  the  latter  can  change  color.  Apples  should  be 


408  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

grated  directly  into  the  hot  mixture.  Let  all  get  scalding-hot 
together  and  serve.  Canned  fruits  may  be  used  when  you  have 
not  fresh. 

TUTTI-FRUTTI  SAUCE. 

Half  a  cupful  of  raisins,  seeded  and  chopped  ;  one  tablespoon- 
ful  each  of  blanched  and  chopped  almonds,  and  shredded  and 
chopped  citron,  a  teaspoonful  of  lemon-juice,  and  half  the  grated 
rind  of  a  lemon  with  the  same  quantity  of  orange-peel.  One 
tablespoonful  of  butter  creamed  with  a  cupful  of  powdered  sugar ; 
one  cupful  of  boiling  water,  and  two  wineglassfuls  of  sherry. 
As  much  arrow-root  as  will  lie  on  a  dime. 

Heat  the  water  and  pour  over  the  fruit,  nuts,  and  grated  peels. 
Cover,  and  leave  in  a  vessel  of  boiling  water  for  an  hour.  Then 
beat  in  the  creamed  sugar-and-butter  with  the  arrow-root,  heat  to 
a  boil,  add  the  wine,  and  serve. 

This  is  a  very  fine  sauce  and  makes  a  plain  batter  or  bread- 
crumb pudding  elegant. 


FRITTERS. 

THE  same  rules  control  the  frying  of  fritters  that  regulate 
doughnuts.  The  fat  must  be  put  into  a  cold  frying-pan  and 
brought  gradually  to  the  proper  temperature ;  it  must  be  deep 
enough  to  float  the  fritters ;  it  is  wise  to  try  a  small  fritter  be- 
fore risking  a  large,  and  a  few  must  go  in  at  a  time.  Should 
bits  of  batter  drop  off  and  adhere  to  the  next  batch,  strain  the 
fat  and  return  to  the  kettle.  Cottolene  is  better  for  frying  than 
lard ;  olive  oil  is  sometimes  used  both  in  mixing  and  in  frying 
fritters. 

FRITTER  BATTER.    (No.  J.) 

One  cupful  of  flour,  sifted  twice  with  a  rounded  teaspoonful  of 
Cleveland's  Baking  Powder  and  half  a  teaspoonful  of  salt.  One 
tablespoonful  of  melted  butter  or  of  best  salad  oil.  A  cupful  of 
milk.  One  teaspoonful  of  sugar.  Two  eggs. 

Beat  yolks  and  sugar  together,  add  the  oil,  or  butter.  Beat 
hard  for  one  minute,  put  in  the  milk,  then  the  prepared  flour 
alternately  with  the  stiffened  whites.  Do  not  mix  until  you  are 
ready  to  cook  the  fritters.  If  you  are  making  plain  fritters 
drop  large  spoonfuls  of  the  batter  into  the  hot  fat,  a  few  at  a 
time,  and  when  they  are  a  golden  brown  take  out  with  a  skim- 
mer and  dry  in  a  hot  colander. 

FRITTER  BATTER.    (No.  2.) 

One  cupful  of  flour  sifted  with  half  a  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's 
Baking  Powder  and  a  saltspoonful  of  salt ;  one  cupful  of  warm, 
not  boiling,  water ;  the  white  of  one  egg  ;  one  tablespoonful  of 
butter. 

Melt  the  butter  in  the  water ;  make  a  hole  in  the  prepared 


4IO  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

flour  and  pour  the  water  and  butter  gradually  upon  it,  making  a 
batter,  then  beat  in  the  stiffened  white  of  the  egg. 

FRITTER  BATTER.    (No.  3.) 

One  whole  egg  and  the  whites  of  two.  One  cupful  of  milk. 
One  scant  cupful  of  flour  which  has  been  sifted  with  half  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder,  and  a  pinch  of  salt. 
The  grated  rind  of  half  a  lemon. 

Beat  the  whole  egg  very  light,  stir  into  the  milk,  add  the  pre- 
pared flour  and  the  stiffened  white  of  a  second  egg,  with  the 
grated  lemon-peel. 

This  is  a  simple  and  safe  recipe.  In  giving  directions  for  frit- 
ters after  this,  it  will  be  needless  to  recapitulate  the  proportions 
and  manner  of  mixing  the  batter. 

CUSTARD  FRITTERS. 

Beat  the  yolks  of  two  eggs  light  with  a  tablespoonful  of  sugar 
and  pour  upon  them  a  cupful  of  hot  milk  in  which  has  been 
stirred  a  teaspoonful  of  flour  wet  up  with  cold  milk.  Season 
with  a  pinch  of  salt  and  as  much  nutmeg  as  will  lie  on  a  dime. 
Turn  the  custard  into  a  greased  pan  or  broad  dish,  set  in  an- 
other of  boiling  water,  and  bake  until  well  set.  Let  it  get  per- 
fectly cold  and  firm ;  cut  into  squares,  coat  with  a  Fritter  Batter 
(No.  2),  and  fry. 

As  the  custard  is  tender,  pour  the  batter  around  each  piece  in 
a  saucer,  and  lift  with  a  spatula  or  broad-bladed  knife  from  the 
saucer  to  the  fire. 

PEACH  FRITTERS. 

Three  eggs;  one  cupful  of  milk;  one  cupful  of  flour  which 
has  been  sifted  twice  with  a  level  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's 
Baking  Powder,  and  a  saltspoonful  of  salt. 

Make  a  batter  of  these  ingredients,  beating  yolks  and  whites 
separately  and  adding  the  stiffened  whites  last,  alternately  with 
the  flour.  Peel  and  slice  a  dozen  fine  peaches,  stir  into  the  bat- 
ter and  drop  by  the  spoonful  into  the  hot  cottolene.  When 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  411 

they  are  a  golden  brown  take  up  and  lay  on  soft  paper  in  a  col- 
ander to  drain.  Sprinkle  with  sugar  while  hot.  Apricot  frit- 
ters are  made  in  the  same  way. 

CREAM  FRITTERS. 

Two  cupfuls  of  hot  milk ;  a  saltspoonful  of  salt ;  a  cupful  of 
sugar.  One  tablespoonful  each  of  corn -starch  and  of  flour  wet  up 
in  cold  milk.  A  tablespoonful  of  butter,  three  eggs,  and  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  vanilla  extract.  Heat  the  milk,  stir  in  the  flour  and 
corn-starch  and  cook  until  they  thicken,  stirring  constantly. 
Take  from  the  fire,  stir  in  the  butter  and  the  eggs,  beaten  light 
with  the  sugar.  Beat  until  well  mixed  and  light,  flavor,  and  let 
the  mixture  get  perfectly  cold.  Cut,  then,  into  squares  or  ob- 
longs, dip  in  a  good  Fritter  Batter  (No.  3)  and  fry  in  hot  cotto- 
lene.  Drain,  sprinkle  with  sugar,  and  serve. 

They  are  extremely  nice. 

NUT  FRITTERS. 

Two  cupfuls  of  fine  crumbs,  seasoned  with  mace  or  nutmeg,  a 
teaspoonful  of  bitter  almond  essence,  and  beat  in  the  whites  of 
two  eggs  whipped  light  with  a  teaspoonful  of  arrow-root  and  a 
tablespoonful  of  sugar.  Mix  to  a  stiff  paste  with  three  table- 
spoonfuls  of  hickory-nuts,  or  blanched  almonds,  or  English 
walnuts,  chopped  fine  ;  set  on  the  ice  for  ten  minutes ;  make 
into  balls,  coat  with  Fritter  Batter  No.  2,  and  fry. 

APPLE  FRITTERS. 

A  French  Recipe. 

Pare  fine,  firm  pippins  and  slice  crosswise  into  rounds  a  quarter 
of  an  inch  thick.  Sprinkle  them  with  sugar,  and  pour  a  few 
drops  of  maraschino  or  of  brandy,  or  of  brandied  peach-liquor, 
upon  each.  Leave  them  in  this  for  fifteen  minutes,  and  drain 
each  for  an  instant  before  coating  it  with  Fritter  Batter  No.  i. 
Drop,  one  at  a  time,  into  hot  cottolene,  fry  to  a  yellow  brown 
and  lay  on  paper  in  an  open  oven.  Sift  sugar  over  them  and 
eat  with  brandy  sauce. 


412  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 


ORANGE  FRITTERS. 

Peel  and  cut  the  oranges  into  slices  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick. 
Pick  out  the  seeds,  taking  care  not  to  tear  the  orange,  sprinkle 
with  sugar  and  at  once  dip  in  ratter  Batter  No.  3.  Drain  in  a 
hot  colander  when  they  have  colored  a  light  brown  in  the  hot 
fat ;  sprinkle  with  sugar  and  serve  with  wine  sauce. 

BANANA  FRITTERS. 
^  An  East  Indian  Recipe. 

Peel  and  cut  large,  firm  bananas  crosswise  into  slices  half  an 
inch  thick.  Squeeze  a  little  orange-juice  upon  each,  and,  if  you 
like,  add  a  little  wine  before  cooking  them,  letting  them  lie  in 
the  juice  for  ten  minutes,  turning  them  over  once.  Dry  between 
two  soft  cloths,  dip  in  fritter  batter  and  fry  to  a  pale  brown. 

SAUCE  FOR  BANANA  FRITTERS. 

Heat  three  tablespoonfuls  of  currant  jelly  with  one  teaspoon- 
ful  of  butter ;  stir  in  half  a  cupful  of  boiling  water  in  which  you 
have  mixed  a  teaspoonful  of  arrow-root  wet  with  cold  water.  Mix 
all  together  until  slightly  thickened,  when  add  a  tablespoonful  of 
blanched  almonds,  chopped  fine,  with  the  juice  and  half  the 
grated  peel  of  an  orange.  Cook  one  minute  to  heat  the  nuts. 

JELLY-CAKE  FRITTERS. 

Cut  stale  sponge  or  plain  cup  cake  into  rounds  with  a  cake 

cutter  and  fry  in  hot  cottolene  to  a  golden  brown.     Dip  each 

into  boiling  milk  for  one  second  to  take  off  the  grease.     Pile  in 

.caps  of  six  upon  a  hot  platter  with  jelly  spread  between  them. 

Eat  hot  with  cream  sauce. 

RUSK  FRITTERS. 

This  is  a  good  way  of  using  up  stale  rusk. 
Pare  off  the  crusts  and  make  three  slices  of  each  if  large,  two  if 
small.     Trim  into  uniform  size  and  shape.     Pour  over  each  a 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  413 

teaspoonful  of  mingled  orange-juice  and  sherry,  and  let  them 
soak  for  a  few  minutes.  Then  drain,  and  coat  with  a  thin  Fritter 
Batter  (No.  2  is  good  for  this  purpose).  Fry  in  hot  cottoiene, 
drain  well,  sprinkle  with  powdered  sugar  and  cinnamon  and 
serve  with  or  without  sauce.  They  are  very  good. 

BREAD  FRITTERS. 

Cut  thick  slices  of  stale  bread  into  rounds  and  roll  in  Fritter 
Batter  No.  i  and  fry  in  deep,  hot  cottoiene.  Drain,  and  eat 
with  wine  sauce. 

SWISS  FRITTERS. 

Cut  stale  bread  into  round,  thick  slices  and  fry  in  hot  cottoiene 
to  a  light  brown.  Dip  each  slice  into  boiling  water  for  one 
second  to  take  off  the  grease,  sprinkle  well  with  sugar  and  cinna- 
mon and  pile  upon  a  hot  plate. 

Eat  with  a  sauce  of  lemon-juice  and  sugar  thinned  with  a  glass 
of  wine.  You  will  need  no  butter  in  the  sauce. 

POTATO  FRITTERS. 

Work  light  with  half  a  cupful  of  cream  a  cupful  of  hot 
mashed  potato ;  stir  into  it  while  warm  the  beaten  yolks  of  three 
eggs  and  two  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar.  Whip  light  before  stirring 
in  the  juice  of  a  lemon,  half  the  grated  peel,  a  tablespoonful  of 
brandy,  and  lastly,  two  tablespoonfuls  of  flour  sifted  twice  with  a 
saltspoonful  of  soda  and  the  same  of  salt  alternately  with  the 
whipped  whites  of  the  eggs.  Make  with  floured  hands  into  balls 
and  set  upon  ice  until  cold  and  stiff.  Roll  then  in  beaten  egg 
and  cracker-crumbs,  and  fry  in  hot,  deep  cottoiene.  Drain, 
sprinkle  with  sugar  and  serve  hot.  They  are  very  nice. 

QUEEN'S  PANCAKES. 

Two  eggs  ;  one  tablespoonful  of  butter  ;  two  cupfuls  of  flour  ; 
one  and  a  half  cupfuls  of  milk. 

Beat  the  eggs,  add  to  them  the  milk  slightly  warmed,  the  but- 


4H  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

ter  melted,  a  little  salt,  and  the  flour.  Bake  in  cakes  on  a  griddle, 
and  when  done  spread  them  lightly  with  jam,  jelly,  or  honey, 
roll  up,  sprinkle  with  sugar,  and  serve  hot. 

By  making  the  batter  a  little  stiffer  you  can  make  fritters  by 
the  same  recipe,  dropping  by  the  spoonful  into  hot  fat,  and  fry- 
ing light  brown.  Eat  with  jelly  sauce. 

STRAWBERRY  FRITTERS. 

One  heaping  cupful  of  flour;  one  tablespoonful  of  salad  oil^ 
two  eggs  ;  grated  peel  of  half  a  lemon  ;  large  strawberries. 

Mix  the  oil,  lemon-peel,  and  flour  together  ;  beat  in  the  yolks, 
and  add  enough  white  wine  to  make  this  the  consistence  of  thick 
cream.  At  the  last  moment  add  the  whites  of  eggs  beaten  to  a 
stiff  froth.  Remove  the  stems  from  very  large  strawberries,  drop 
them  into  the  batter,  have  hot  in  a  kettle  cottolene  at  least  two 
inches  deep.  Drop  the  mixture  by  the  spoonful  into  this,  allow- 
ing one  strawberry  to  each  fritter.  Fry  to  a  golden  brown. 
Remove  with  a  skimmer  to  brown  paper  laid  in  the  mouth  of 
the  oven,  and  sift  sugar  over  them. 


SHORTCAKES,  TEA-CAKES,  ETC 

STRAWBERRY  SHORTCAKE.    (No.  J.) 

INTO  one  pint  of  flour  rub  two  ounces  of  butter  ;  add  half  a 
tablespoonful  of  salt,  a  teaspoonful  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder, 
and  not  quite  a  cupful  of  milk  ;  turn  the  dough  upon  a  board, 
knead  just  a  moment,  and  roll  out  one  inch  thick.  Cut  it  into 
a  round,  place  on  a  greased  pan,  brush  the  top  with  milk,  and 
bake  in  a  quick  oven  fifteen  minutes.  Have  one  quart  of  berries 
picked  and  sugared.  As  soon  as  the  cake  is  done,  remove  it 
from  the  oven  and  pull  it  apart.  Do  not  cut  it  or  it  will  be 
heavy.  Put  the  underpart  on  a  plate,  dust  with  sugar,  spread  a 
thick  layer  of  strawberries  over  the  bottom  cake,  put  on  the  top, 
cover  it  with  berries,  and  sprinkle  with  sugar.  Serve  at  once. 
Pass  cream  and  sugar  with  the  shortcake. 

STRAWBERRY  SHORTCAKE.    (No.  2.) 

One  cupful  of  sugar  ;  one  tablespoonful  of  butter  ;  one  heap- 
ing cupful  of  flour  ;  quarter  of  a  cupful  of  milk  ;  three  eggs,  the 
yolks  and  whites  beaten  separately ;  one  teaspoonful  of  Cleve- 
land's Baking  Powder  ;  one  quart  of  strawberries. 

Rub  butter  and  sugar  together,  add  yolks,  milk,  flour,  whites, 
arid  baking  powder.  Bake  in  three  jelly- cake  tins,  and  when  cold, 
place  the  berries  between  the  layers,  sprinkling  them  with 
sugar.  Heap  whipped  cream  upon  the  cake. 

STRAWBERRY  SHORTCAKE.    (No.  3.) 

Two  cupfuls  of  prepared  flour  ;  one  tablespoonful  each  of  cot- 
tolene  and  butter ;  half  a  cupful  of  milk ;  three  tablespoonfuls 


4l6  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

of  white  sugar  ;  one  saltspoonful  of  salt.  Bake  in  jelly-cake  tins. 
When  cold,  spread  between  the  layers  one  quart  of  mashed  and 
sweetened  berries.  Eat  at  once,  with  cream. 


ORANGE  SHORTCAKE. 

Make  a  crust  as  directed  in  last  recipe,  and  while  hot,  tear  it 
open,  butter  the  sides,  and  fill  with  chopped  and  seeded  oranges, 
well  sweetened.  Eat  hot. 


BLACK  RASPBERRY  SHORTCAKE. 

Four  cupfuls  of  flour  ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter ;  two  cup- 
fuls  of  milk  ;  one  egg  ;  half  a  teaspoonful  of  salt ;  two  teaspoon- 
fuls  of  Cleveland's  Baking  Powder  ;  half  a  cupful  of  sugar  ;  one 
quart  of  berries. 

Sift  the  salt  and  baking  powder  with  the  flour,  chop  in  the 
butter,  and  add  the  milk  and  beaten  egg.  Roll  this  dough  into 
a  sheet  half  an  inch  thick,  and  spread  with  it  the  bottom  of  a 
greased  baking-tin.  Cover  it  with  the  berries ;  sugar  them 
liberally,  and  lay  over  another  sheet  of  dough  a  little  thinner 
than  the  lower  crust.  Bake  in  a  steady  oven,  cut  into  squares, 
and  eat  hot  with  butter  and  sugar. 

CURRANT  SHORTCAKE. 

Make  a  good  biscuit  dough ;  roll  out  half  an  inch  thick  and 
bake  in  a  pie-plate. 

While  hot  run  a  knife  lightly  around  one  side,  tear  it  open, 
butter  well,  without  crushing  the  crumby  interior,  and  lay 
between  the  severed  sides  a  pint  of  currants,  which  were 
mashed  and  plentifully  sweetened  before  you  began  to  make 
the  cake.  Wash  the  top  with  white  of  egg,  sift  powdered 
sugar  thickly  over  it  and  serve,  still  hot,  all  this  having 
been  done  in  three  minutes  after  the  crust  was  taken  from  the 
oven. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  417 

BLUEBERRY  TEA-CAKE. 
A  Vermont  Recipe. 

Three  cupfuls  of  blueberries ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter ; 
one  cupful  of  sugar ;  one  cupful  of  milk  ;  two  cupfuls  of  flour 
sifted  twice  with  two  rounded  teaspoonfuls  of  Cleveland's 
Baking  Powder,  and  a  saltspoonful  of  salt ;  two  eggs,  beaten 
very  light. 

Cream  butter,  and  sugar,  add  the  eggs,  then  the  milk  and 
prepared  flour.  Dredge  the  berries  with  flour,  stir  in  lightly  and 
bake  in  a  greased  biscuit-tin.  Split,  butter  and  eat  while  warm. 

HUCKLEBERRY  TEA-CAKE. 

One  quart  of  huckleberries;  three  cupfuls  of  flour  sifted 
twice  with  two  rounded  teaspoonfuls  of  Cleveland's  Baking 
Powder ;  four  eggs,  whites  and  yolks  beaten  separately  ; 
one  cupful  of  butter;  two  cupfuls  of  sugar;  one  heaping 
teaspoonful  of  mixed  cinnamon  and  nutmeg;  one  cupful  of 
milk. 

Cream  butter  and  sugar,  beat  in  the  whipped  yolks,  then  the 
milk,  spice,  and  prepared  flour,  alternately  with  the  whipped 
whites,  at  last  the  fruit  dredged  with  flour.  Bake  in  muffin-tins 
well  greased,  or  in  two  small  loaves.  It  is  good  warm,  but  bet- 
ter still  cold,  on  the  second  day. 

ENGLISH  TEA-CAKES. 

Two  eggs;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  creamed  with  the 
same  of  sugar ;  two  cupfuls  of  flour. 

Cream  the  butter  and  sugar  very  light,  beat  in  the  whipped 
yolks  ;  stir  and  beat  for  a  minute  and  add  the  flour  alternately 
with  the  stiffened  whites.     Bake  in  jelly-cake  tins  ;  butter  and 
eat  while  fresh. 
27 


41 8  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

FAMILIAR  TALK. 

DUST,  DUSTING,  AND  DUSTERS. 

In  an  interesting  treatise  upon  "  The  Germ  Theory  of  Con- 
tagious Diseases  ' '  Tyndall  remarks  : 

"  There  is  no  respite  to  our  contact  with  the  floating  matter 
of  the  air."  He  alludes,  moreover,  to  "  our  sufferings  from  its 
mechanical  irritation,"  and  tells  how  astonished  he  was  by  the 
result  of  a  series  of  experiments  proving  that  this  floating  curse 
is  organic  matter. 

"  I  had  previously  thought  that  the  dust  of  our  air  was,  in 
great  part,  inorganic  and  non-combustible. 

He  subjoins  a  foot-note  to  the  effect  that  "in  none  of  the 
public  rooms  of  the  United  States  where  I  had  the  honor  to 
lecture  was  this  experiment  made.  The  organic  dust  was  too 
scanty." 

In  the  unscientific  and  domestic  mind  this  engenders  the  de- 
sponding query,  "Is  the  national  dust,  then,  incombustible?" 
For  years  neat  housewives  have  insisted  that  the  contents  of  dust- 
pans should  be  burned  as  soon  as  collected.  Organic  matter,  in- 
cluding disease -germs  and  parasitic  larvae,  are  thus  destroyed,  to 
the  evident  advantage  of  family  health,  but  the  bulk  of  inorganic 
particles — "  the  atomes,"  named  by  another  scientific  writer, 
"  which  the  sun  discovers,  though  they  be  invisible  by  candle- 
light, and  makes  them  dance  naked  in  his  beams" — are  dis- 
pelled for  a  season  only.  They  reappear  unchanged  in  the  at- 
tributes of  "  mechanical  irritation,"  and  other  undesirable  prop- 
erties, including  ubiquity. 

**  The  dust  on  which  we  tread  was  once  alive," 

says  the  poet  No  living  organism  is  more  lively  and  viciously 
omnipresent  to  us  to-day.,  The  Phoenix  was  more  perishable ; 
original  sin  could  be  more  easily  eliminated.  Yet — and  there 
would  seem  to  be  an  element  of  injustice  here — visible  dust  is 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  419 

everywhere  taken  as  a  token  of  neglect  and  untidiness.  The 
writing  upon  the  Babylonian  palace-wall  was  not  more  con- 
demnatory than  the  initials  of  the  unwary  housewife  traced  upon 
the  top  of  a  table  by  the  finger  of  critical  spouse  or  sarcastic 
(and  anonymous)  visitor. 

"  You  could  have  written  your  name  upon  the  furniture,"  is 
a  phrase  as  common  as  it  is  crushing. 

To  avoid  the  verdict  we  wage  incessant  warfare  upon  an  al- 
most intangible  foe,  and  one  that  is  no  respecter  of  things  or 
persons.  The  most  grewsome  feature  in  the  case  of  a  cataleptic 
sufferer  whom  I  once  knew  was  that  the  dust  settled  upon  the 
immobile  eyeballs  and  had  to  be  wiped  away  several  times  each 
day.  The  floor  may  be  swept  clean,  then  scrubbed,  then 
wiped  with  a  dry  cloth,  and  the  empty  room,  after  an  hour's 
airing,  be  carefully  closed  and  not  opened  for  twenty-four  hours. 
At  the  end  of  that  time  a  film  of  dust  will  be  upon  cleansed 
boards,  window-frames,  and  cornices — wherever  it  can  settle 
and  lie.  We  carry  it  with  us  everywhere,  upon  our  garments, 
our  hair,  our  skin — until  one  can  imagine  the  dismayed  com- 
batant dropping  duster  and  dust-pan  in  broken-hearted  despair, 
to  mingle  finally  with  what  she  loathes. 

Clearly,  then,  any  practical  advice  I  offer  must  refer  only  to 
the  methods  of  mitigating  the  evil  I  have  likened  to  natural 
depravity. 

One  of  the  housewife's  most  efficient  allies  is  the  broom.  Care- 
less sweeping  makes  more  dust  than  no  sweeping  at  all.  The 
first  step  in  the  work  is  to  remove  all  the  portable  furniture  from 
the  room  to  be  treated,  the  second,  to  scatter  damp — not  drip- 
ping— tea-leaves  thickly  over  the  carpet,  if  there  be  one;  the 
third,  to  sweep  with  long,  even  strokes  of  a  good  broom  the  dirt 
from  the  four  corners  into  the  middle  of  the  floor ;  the  fourth, 
to  collect  the  heap  into  a  dust-pan  and  carry  it  directly  to  a  fire, 
there  to  be  cremated.  Next,  wrap  a  damp  cloth  securely  about 
the  broom  and,  slowly  and  gently,  brush  down  the  walls.  All 
this  time  the  windows  through  which  the  wind  does  not  blow 
into  the  room  should  stand  open.  The  sweeper  should  keep  her 


420  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

mouth  shut  while  at  work,  that  the  dust  she  raises,  organic  and 
inorganic,  should  not  eddy  down  her  throat  into  the  lungs.  The 
hair  should  be  protected  by  a  light,  round  cap  shirred  upon 
elastic  and  covering  the  ears.  Upon  the  hands  should  be  a 
pair  of  very  loose  gloves,  two  sizes,  at  least,  too  large  for 
her. 

When  the  walls  have  been  swept,  let  her  open  all  the  doors 
and  windows  wide — the  more  air  the  better.  Much  of  the 
floating  matter  must,  perforce,  be  carried  upon  the  beneficent 
draught  into  the  wide  outer  world  where  it  belongs.  While  this 
goes  on,  the  furniture  may  be  dusted  in  hall  or  piazza,  and  re- 
turned, piece  by  piece,  to  its  proper  place.  For  this  process 
have  a  wicker  paddle  made  for  the  purpose  of  beating  stuffed 
lounges  and  chairs,  a  whisk -broom  to  dislodge  the  dust  from 
tufted  seats  and  carved  corners ;  lastly,  a  soft  cloth  duster. 

I  wish  my  protest  against  the  bunch  of  feathers,  misnamed  "  a 
duster,"  could  be  prevalent  with  my  sister-housewives.  It 
is  the  chamber-maid's  delight,  the  lazy  woman's  stand -by.  When 
the  characters  unite  in  one  and  the  same  "  girl,"  she  will  not 
"take  a  place"  where  she  cannot  have  it.  Her  manner  of 
brandishing  it  is  a  gesture  of  insolent  triumph  over  decency  and 
order.  She  sweeps  it  across  mirrors  and  pictures,  wriggles  it 
into  corners,  and  pokes  it  into  hollows.  It  leaves  a  gray  arc 
of  dust  within  every  right  angle,  and,  when  conscientiously 
wielded,  cannot  possibly  do  anything  better  than  to  scatter 
into  the  air  clouds  of  floating  matter  that  must  fall  again,  and 
shortly. 

It  was  assuredly  not  a  feather-duster  the  management  of  which 
George  Eliot  describes  in  "  Adam  Bede."  "  How  it  went  into 
every  small  corner,  and  on  every  ledge  in  and  out  of  sight ;  how 
it  went  again  and  again  round  every  bar  of  the  chairs,  and 
every  leg,  and  under  and  over  everything  that  lay  on  the  table  ! 
If  you  had  ever  lived  in  Mrs.  Poyser's  household  you  would 
know  how  the  duster  behaved  in  Dinah's  hand.'* 

Such  feats  are  only  practicable  to  the  soft  cloth  spoken  of  just 
now.  It  must  not  be  too  large  or  too  small,  and  there  must 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  421 

not  be  a  particle  of  starchy  dressing  in  it ;  it  must  be  of  wash- 
able material,  and  it  must  be  washed  often. 

The  cheese-cloth  square,  hemmed  on  all  sides  except  where 
there  is  a  selvedge  (query — "self-edge?"),  so  nearly  meets 
these  requirements  that  many  housekeepers  prefer  it  to  any  other 
fabric.  It  is  cheap,  takes  up  the  dust  obediently,  does  not 
scratch  polished  wood  or  gilt,  and  grows  better  with  every  wash- 
ing while  it  hangs  together.  It  has  two  defects — it  soon  wears 
into  holes,  and  no  housekeeper  with  whom  I  have  compared 
notes  on  the  subject  ever  yet  succeeded  in  getting  back  from 
the  laundry  five  per  cent,  of  the  cheese-cloth  dusters  that  are  sent 
down  for  cleansing.  Some  ingenious  women  feather-stitch  the 
hems  with  Turkey-red  cotton  for  convenience  of  identification ; 
one  adds  to  this  precaution  that  of  drawing  with  indelible  ink  a 
great  cross  in  the  middle  of  each  square,  and  another  writes  the 
number  of  every  duster  upon  it  in  figures  six  inches  long.  The 
end  of  the  cheap  conveniences,  plain  and  marked,  is  to  be  de- 
graded into  dish-cloths,  floor-cloths,  wash-cloths — every  kind  of 
cloth  that  your  servants  like  "  to  have  handy."  Two  days  of 
this  sort  of  misapplication  ruin  an  article  whose  chief  merit  is 
flimsiness,  and  renders  recognition  on  the  part  of  the  inquisi- 
tive employer  impossible. 

For  several  successive  seasons  I  submitted  with  resignation, 
born  equally  of  mean-spiritedness  and  of  philosophy,  to  this 
species  of  petty  larceny,  employing  each  summer  a  worthy  and 
needy  seamstress  to  make  up  four  or  five  dozen  cheese-cloth 
dusters  (feather-stitched  with  red),  and  finding  myself  at  the  end 
of  the  winter's  campaign  the  possessor  of,  at  the  most,  four  dis- 
reputable fragments.  Nobody  had  purloined  or  misappropriated 
so  much  as  one  of  them.  The  general  opinion  in  the  kitchen- 
cabinet  was  that  "  they  had  blown  off  the  line  on  wash-day — 
they  were  that  light !  "  Chancing  to  mention  my  evil  case  to  a 
friend,  she  advised  me  to  try  the  chamois-cloth  duster.  I  have 
used  none  other  since.  It  is  just  the  right  size,  the  surface  is 
soft  and  furry,  collecting  the  dust  and  holding  it  until  the 
duster  is  shaken  sharply.  It  is  the  color  of  a  new  chamois  skin, 


422  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

and  has  a  border  of  purple,  red,  or  blue.  It  can  be  washed 
again  and  again,  and  outlasts  ten  cheese-cloth  squares.  Its  indi- 
viduality is  so  marked  that  no  amount  of  soaking  in  dish-water, 
or  scrubbing  of  tables,  chairs,  and  candle-sticks  can  disguise  it 
into  the  semblance  of  a  kitchen-rag. 

If  you  would  know  of  what  quantity  of  dust  such  faithful  dust- 
ing as  fingers  with  brain  and  conscience  behind  them  remove 
from  your  rooms,  wash  your  chamois-cloth  duster  yourself  after 
two  days'  use.  The  grime  left  in  the  bottom  of  the  bowl  will 
incite  you  .to  renewed  diligence  in  keeping  organic  and  inorganic 
"  atonies  "  away  from  your  household  gods. 

With  hardwood  floors  and  rugs,  the  work  of  dusting  is  com- 
paratively easy,  because  so  much  floating  matter  is  carried  out  of 
the  house  with  the  rugs,  and  taken  up  by  the  cloth  used  in  wip- 
ing the  floor.  Still,  it  settles  in  the  shape  of  non-analyzable 
fluff  in  corners,  and  beneath  sofas  and  cabinets,  and  veils  pol- 
ished surfaces  grayly.  The  price  of  comparative  cleanliness  is 
daily  dusting,  done  thoroughly — as  hirelings  never  do  it.  The 
hall-mark  of  the  eye-server  is  the  neglected  soap-dish  in  the 
bedroom  and  the  undusted  rungs  of  chairs  all  over  the  house. 
Bear  continually  and  bravely  in  mind  the  truism  with  which  this 
homely  chat  began  : 

"  There  is  no  respite  to  our  contact  with  the  floating  matter  of 
the  air." 

M.  H. 


PIES. 

GOOD  pastry  is  expensive.  Indifferent  pastry  is  indigestible 
and  unpalatable  ;  a  mere  waste  of  materials  that  might  be  used 
to  advantage  in  some  other  way.  When  we  reflect  upon  the 
small  percentage  of  tolerable  pastry  one  finds  in  the  multitudi- 
nous brigades  of  pies  concocted  for  family  and  guest  throughout 
this  great  land  of  ours,  the  wonder  remains  and  grows  that  The 
National  Pie  maintains  its  sovereignty.  A  hopeful  feature  of  the 
outlook  is  that  students  of  dietetics  and  educated  housewives  com- 
bine to  relegate  pastry  to  the  background  in  making  up  daily 
bills-of-fare,  and  exclude  it  altogether  from  the  nursery  table. 
No  growing  child  should  be  allowed  to  eat  pies,  good  or  indiffer- 
ent, which  in  this  connection  is  a  synonym  for  bad. 

The  dictum  that  pastry  should  be  avoided  in  summer  is  almost 
as  rigid  as  the  foregoing  sentence  of  banishment.  It  is  harder 
to  make  good  pie-crust  in  hot  weather  than  in  cold,  and  much 
harder  to  digest  it. 

Yet,  because  excellent  puff-paste  is  so  deliciously  toothsome, 
and  because  people  who  have  once  tasted  it  will  have  it  again 
and  yet  again,  a  select  list  of  pies  is  herewith  presented,  with  in- 
structions for  making  the  crust  that  must  underpin  and  mask 
their  contents.  A  word  as  to  the  same  contents.  Many  of 
them  would  find  equal  favor  with  the  eaters  if  they  were  baked 
in  deep  dishes  as  puddings,  with  no  crust  at  all.  Many  more 
— notably  many  kinds  of  ripe  fruit  and  all  kinds  of  custard  and 
pumpkin  pies — would  be  more  acceptable  if  baked  with  no  bot- 
tom crust.  This  opens  a  loop-hole  of  escape  for  the  conscien- 
tious house-mother  whose  "men-folks"  must  have  pie  three, 
four,  six  days  in  the  week,  let  the  thermometer  be  what  it  may. 


424  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

Let  her  make  excellent  pastry  for  their  delectation  half  or  a  third 
of  the  time,  and  pudding-pies  the  rest  of  the  week.  Puff-paste 
on  Tuesday,  Thursday,  and  Saturday,  costs  no  more  than  so-called 
family  pie-crust  from  Sunday  to  Sunday. 

A  GOOD  PUFF-PASTE. 

One  quart  of  sifted  flour  ;  one  and  one-half  cupfuls  of  butter 
(three-quarters  of  a  pound)  ;  one  cupful  of  ice-water. 

Before  beginning  the  work  make  butter,  flour,  chopping-bowl 
and  knife,  pastry-board  and  rolling-pin  ice-cold,  by  setting  out- 
of-doors  in  winter,  and  in  warmer  weather  upon  the  ice.  Chop 
butter  and  flour  together  until  the  former  is  in  bits  no  larger 
than  a  pea.  Pour  in  the  ice-water  and  mix  with  the  chopping- 
knife  to  a  paste.  Do  not  touch  it  with  your  hands. 

Turn  out  upon  the  well-floured  pastry-board,  and  roll  quickly — 
always  from  you — into  a  sheet  about  half  an  inch  thick.  Dredge 
lightly  with  flour,  fold  it  into  three  thicknesses,  turn  the  roll 
lengthwise  toward  you,  and  roll  out  again — still  from  you.  Dredge, 
fold,  and  roll  twice  more.  Fold  lightly,  lay  upon  a  dish,  and 
set  on  ice  until  thoroughly  chilled.  All  night  is  not  too  long. 
When  you  are  ready  to  make  your  pies,  divide  the  paste  into  as 
many  pieces  as  you  wish  to  have  pies,  and  roll  each  piece  sepa- 
rately. Too  much  handling  and  folding  makes  pastry  stiff. 

HOW  TO  MAKE  A  PIE. 

That  is,  after  the  paste  is  made  and  chilled,  and  the  proposed 
contents  of  the  pie  are  prepared. 

Roll  out  the  paste  about  an  eighth  of  an  inch  thick  for  the 
lower  crust,  half  as  thick  again  for  the  upper.  Dust  the  plate 
with  flour,  cut  out  a  round  paste  larger  than  the  plate,  and  lay  it 
lightly  upon  the  place  prepared  for  it,  holding  the  sides  up  until 
the  middle  touches  the  plate  and  then  letting  it  settle  into  shape. 
Press  lightly  upon  it  to  drive  the  air  from  beneath.  Brush  the 
bottom  crust  with  white  of  egg  to  keep  it  from  becoming  soaked 
and  soggy.  Put  in  the  filling,  cover  the  pie ;  moisten  the 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  42$ 

edges  of  the  lower  crust  to  make  the  upper  stick  to  it.  Other- 
wise it  may  "  crawl  "  in  baking.  Cut  a  strip  of  pastry  over  an 
inch  wide,  wet  the  under  side,  and  lay  upon  the  outer  rim  of  the 
upper  crust.  Run  a  sharp  knife  all  around  to  cut  off  ragged 
bits,  and,  with  the  back  of  knife  or  jagging-iron,  indent  the 
upper  strip  into  any  pattern  you  like.  Or  you  may  merely  press 
it  lightly  upon  the  crust  beneath.  Make  a  gash  in  the  centre  of 
the  top  crust,  or  prick  in  several  places  with  a  fork  to  let  out  the 
steam  generated  in  cooking. 

PUMPKIN  PIES. 

Four  cupfuls  of  stewed  pumpkin ;  two  quarts  of  milk ;  eight 
eggs  ;  two  cupfuls  of  white  sugar ;  two  teaspoonfuls  of  mixed 
mace,  nutmeg,  and  cinnamon. 

Beat  the  yolks  of  the  eggs  light  and  put  the  sugar  with  them. 
Press  the  pumpkin  through  a  colander  and  stir  the  eggs  and  sugar 
into  it.  Add  the  milk,  spice,  and  the  whipped  whites  of  the  eggs. 
Have  very  deep  pie-plates  for  pumpkin  pies,  and  after  you  have 
floured  the  plates  and  lined  them  with  the  paste,  cut  slashes  here 
and  there  in  this,  that  it  may  not  puff  up  too  much.  Stir  the 
pumpkin  custard  well  before  you  pour  it  in.  Of  course  no  top 
crust  is  used. 

MINCE  PIES. 

Four  pounds  of  lean  beef;  four  quarts  of  chopped  apples  ;  one 
quart  of  chopped  suet ;  one  quart  of  stoned  raisins  ;  one  pint  of 
cleaned  currants;  one  pound  of  citron,  cut  in  small  pieces;  one 
scant  quart  of  sugar ;  one  pint  of  molasses ;  three  tablespoonfuls 
of  mace;  three  tablespoonfuls  of  cinnamon  ;  two  tablespoonfuls 
of  allspice  ;  three  tablespoonfuls  of  salt ;  one  and  one-half  table- 
spoonfuls  of  cloves  ;  four  grated  nutmegs ;  juice  and  rind  of 
three  lemons ;  two  ounces  of  candied  lemon-peel ;  two  ounces 
of  candied  orange-peel ;  half  a  pint  of  orange  wine  ;  one  quart 
of  California  brandy. 

This  will  make  a  large  quantity  of  mince  meat. 

Bake  with  a  bottom  crust  and  lay  narrow  strips  of  pastry  in  a 
sort  of  trellis-work  over  the  top. 


426  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

RJCE-AND-RAISIN  PIE. 

Boil  half  a  cupful  of  rice  in  two  quarts  of  water  until  tender, 
or  for  about  twenty  minutes.  Drain  until  thoroughly  dry. 
Beat  four  eggs  light.  Add  half  a  cupful  of  sugar  and  beat  again, 
then  add  one  pint  of  milk,  one  tablespoonful  of  vanilla  and  the 
boiled  rice.  Line  two  pie-dishes  with  good,  light  paste,  and 
cover  the  bottom  of  the  dishes  with  seeded  raisins.  Fill  with  the 
rice  mixture  and  bake  in  a  quick  oven  about  thirty  minutes,  or 
until  the  rice  is  solid.  Beat  the  whites  of  two  eggs  to  a  meringue 
with  a  little  powdered  sugar,  spread  over  the  top  and  brown 
lightly. 

APPLE  PIE.    (No.  J.) 

Pare,  core,  and  slice  well-flavored  tart  apples,  and  fill  a  pie- 
dish  with  them,  strewing  sugar  and  nutmeg  between  the  layers. 
Have  the  dish  very  full,  as  the  fruit  shrinks  in  cooking.  Cover 
with  a  good  crust.  If  you  have  a  lower  crust,  brush  with  white 
of  egg  before  putting  in  the  apples. 

APPLE  PIE.    (No.  2.) 

Stew  and  strain  tart  apples,  season  and  sweeten  to  taste,  and 
while  still  hot,  beat  in  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  for  two  cupfuls  of 
sauce.  Let  it  cool,  line  your  pie-plates  with  crust,  wash  with 
white  of  egg  and  pour  in  the  apple  sauce.  Cover  with  crust  and 
bake.  It  is  very  good  without  a  lower  crust. 

Or— • 

Bake  without  the  upper  crust,  and  let  them  get  cold.  Send 
around  cream  with  them.  "  Cheese,"  says  a  little  girl  in  a  pop- 
ular novel,  "  is  very  good  with  apple  pie." 

CREAM-APPLE  PIE. 

Make  and  bake  according  to  Apple  Pie  No.  2,  and  let  it  get 
ice-cold.  Heap  with  whipped  cream  and  cut  through  the  white 
covering,  as  if  it  were  not  there,  serving  the  cream  with  the  pie. 

It  is  delicious. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  42? 

MERINGUE  APPLE   PIE. 

Make  and  bake  as  you  would  No.  2,  and  just  before  drawing 
from  the  oven,  cover  evenly  with  the  meringue  of  the  whites  of 
two  eggs,  beaten  stiff,  with  a  tablespoonful  of  powdered  sugar. 
Brown  lightly.  Eat  cold. 

APPLE-CUSTARD  PEE. 

Stew  and  strain  enough  finely  flavored  tart  apples  to  make  a 
large  cupful  of  sauce.  Sweeten  well  and  season  with  nutmeg  or 
mace.  Beat  two  eggs  light  and  pour  upon  them  half  a  cupful 
of  hot  milk  to  which  has  been  added  a  bit  of  soda  not  larger 
than  a  pea.  Let  sauce  and  custard  get  cold,  beat  quickly  to- 
gether, fill  a  pie -dish  lined  with  good  paste  (brush  the  latter  with 
white  of  egg  before  the  filling  goes  in),  and  bake,  without  an 
upper  crust,  in  a  quick  oven.  It  is  very  nice  and  will  be  still 
better  for  the  addition  of  such  a  meringue  as  that  mentioned  in 
the  last  recipe. 

Peach  pies  are  delicious  when  made  according  to  this  recipe. 

WHOLE  PEACH  PIE. 

Peel  small  or  medium-sized  peaches.  Fill  a  deep  pie-plate 
with  them,  heaping  them  toward  the  centre  of  the  dish,  and 
sprinkling  them  liberally  with  sugar.  Cover  with  a  top  crust 
and  bake.  Eat  while  warm. 

PEACH-AND-ALMOND  PIE. 

Peel  free-stone  peaches,  cut  open  one  side  of  each,  extract  the 
stone  carefully  and  replace  with  a  blanched  almond.  Sweeten 
to  taste.  Cover  with  crust  and  bake. 

PEACH  MERINGUE  PIE. 

Peel,  stone,  and  stew  enough  peaches  to  fill  a  pie-plate. 
Sweeten  well.  Line  the  plate  with  a  good  paste,  fill  with  the 
stewed  peaches,  and  bake  until  done.  Draw  the  pie  to  the  mouth 
of  the  oven,  and  spread  over  it  a  meringue  made  of  the  whites 


428  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

of  three  eggs,  beaten  stiff  with  three  tablespoon fu Is  of  powdered 
sugar.  Let  this  come  to  a  delicate  brown  in  the  oven,  and  eat 
the  pie  when  it  is  very  cold. 

PEACH  PIE  WITH  WHIPPED  CREAM. 

Make  as  directed  in  last  recipe,  but  let  the  pie  get  cold  before 
heaping  whipped  cream  upon  the  top.  Eat  as  soon  as  the  cream 
is  put  upon  it. 

PEACH  COBBLER. 

A  South  Carolina  Dish. 

Line  a  pudding-dish  with  puff-paste.  Peel,  halve,  and  stone 
enough  ripe  peaches  to  fill  the  dish.  Crack  about  a  dozen  peach- 
stones  and  scatter  the  kernels  among  the  halved  peaches. 
Sweeten  plentifully,  and  when  the  peaches  are  all  in  pour  in  a 
glass  of  brandy  for  every  cupful  of  fruit.  Cover  with  paste, 
pinched  well  down  at  the  edges  to  keep  in  the  strength  of  the 
brandy.  When  the  crust  has  hardened,  cover  with  paper  to 
keep  it  from  burning.  A  "cobbler"  that  holds  a  quart  of 
peaches  (halved  and  stoned)  will  take  an  hour  to  bake. 

OPEN  PEACH  PIE. 

Pare  and  halve  the  peaches  ;  line  a  pie-plate  with  pastry  and 
lay  the  peaches  within  it,  cut  sides  downward.  Strew  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  sugar  over  the  lower  layer,  and  sprinkle  with  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  lemon-juice  and  bake  in  a  brisk  oven.  Eat  cold  with 
whipped  cream,  or  just  warm  with  cream  and  sugar. 

PLUM  TART  AND  CREAM. 

Select  blue  plums  or  ripe  green  gages  ;  stem  and  stone  them, 
and  fill  with  them  a  deep  pie-plate,  or,  better  still,  a  shallow 
pudding-dish  ;  strew  with  sugar  ;  cover  with  an  upper  crust,  and 
after  cutting  several  slits  in  the  pastry  to  allow  the  steam  to 
escape,  bake  in  a  moderate  oven.  When  ready  to  serve  lift  the 
crust,  lay  it  upside  down  on  a  large  plate,  turn  the  plums  out 
upon  the  paste,  and  smother  all  with  whipped  cream. 

This  is  an  English  recipe  and  fine. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  429 

STRAWBERRY  PIE 

is  very  good  made  according  to  the  foregoing  recipe,  also  rasp- 
berry pie. 

CHERRY  PIE.    (No.  J.) 

Line  a  pie-plate  with  paste ;  wash  with  white  of  egg  and  fill 
with  whole  ripe  cherries  that  have  been  washed  and  picked  over. 
Sweeten  abundantly.  Cover  with  a  crust  and  bake. 

CHERRY  PIE.    (No.  2.) 

Stone  ripe  cherries.  Save  every  drop  of  juice  that  escapes 
during  the  process.  Line  a  pie-plate  with  crust,  sweeten  the 
cherries  plentifully  and  fill  the  plate  with  them.  Heat  the  juice 
to  scalding,  and  stir  into  it  half  a  teaspoonful  of  corn-starch  or 
arrow-root ;  pour  over  the  cherries  and  bake  twenty  minutes  in  a 
good  oven,  or  until  the  paste  edge  is  lightly  browned. 

APRICOT  TARTS. 

Peel,  stone,  and  halve  ripe  apricots  ;  line  a  pie-plate  or  small 
pate-pans  with  puff-paste  and  wash  with  white  of  egg.  Pack  the 
halved  apricots  in  layers  upon  the  crust,  with  a  blanched  almond 
in  each  half.  Put  in  the  first  layer  with  cut  sides  down,  hiding 
the  almonds,  and  the  second  with  the  rounded  sides  downward, 
showing  an  almond-pit  in  each.  Sugar  abundantly  and  bake 
in  a  quick  oven. 

Canned  apricots,  somewhat  insipid  in  themselves,  are  nice 
prepared  in  this  way,  as  are  canned  peaches. 

CRANBERRY  TART. 

Prick  the  cranberries  clear  through  with  a  needle  and  allow 
for  each  cupful  a  heaping  tablespoonful  of  seeded  and  chopped 
raisins.  Line  a  pie-dish  with  paste,  wash  with  white  of  egg. 
Allow  for  each  cupful  half  a  cupful  of  sugar.  Bake  with  paper 
laid  over  the  pie  until  the  cranberries  are  broken,  then  leave  in 
the  oven  fifteen  minutes  longer.  You  may  omit  the  raisins  if 
you  like. 


430  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

RIPE  GOOSEBERRY  PIE. 

Top  and  tail  the  berries.  Line  the  pie-dish  with  crust,  wash 
with  white  of  egg  and  fill  with  berries,  sweetening  well.  Bake 
with  or  without  an  upper  crust. 

GREEN  GOOSEBERRY  TART. 

Top  and  tail  the  fruit.  Put  into  an  agate-iron  or  porcelain 
kettle,  with  a  very  little  water  to  prevent  burning,  and  stew 
until  they  break.  Sweeten  lavishly  and  let  them  get  cold.  Line 
a  pie-plate  with  paste,  wash  with  white  of  egg,  fill  with  the 
stewed  berries,  and  bake  with  or  without  an  upper  crust. 

CURRANT  TART. 

Like  the  green  gooseberries,  currants  deserve  the  name  of  tart. 
Line  a  pie-dish  with  paste,  wash  with  white  of  egg  and  fill  with 
stemmed  currants.  Sweeten  very  liberally  ;  you  can  hardly  get 
the  currants  too  sweet.  Bake  with  or  without  the  top  crust. 

RHUBARB  TART. 

Skin  the  stalks  and  cut  into  inch  lengths.  Put  into  a  sauce- 
pan with  a  few  spoonfuls  of  water  and  stew  soft.  Sweeten  while 
hot ;  stir  in  a  teaspoonful  of  butter  and  a  beaten  egg  for  each 
cupful  of  fruit,  and  bake  in  an  open  crust  washed  with  white  of 

egg- 

All  of  these  tarts  are  good  baked  with  a  top  crust  alone. 

RHUBARB  PIE. 

Skin  and  cut  into  small  pieces.  Line  a  pie-dish  with  pastry, 
wash  with  white  of  egg,  and  fill  with  the  raw  rhubarb,  scattering 
sultana  raisins  among  the  fruit.  Sweeten  plentifully ;  put  on  a 
top  crust  and  bake.  Brush  with  white  of  egg  while  hot  and 
shut  the  oven  door  to  glaze  the  crust. 

Eat  cold. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  431 

CUSTARD  PEE. 

Make  a  custard  by  pouring  two  cupfuls  of  hot  milk  upon 
three  beaten  eggs  which  have  been  whipped  light  with  four 
tablespoonfuls  of  sugar.  Flavor  with  vanilla  or  other  essence. 
Line  a  pie-dish  with  paste,  wash  with  white  of  egg,  pour  in  the 
custard,  and  bake. 

COCOANUT-CUSTARD  PIE. 

Make  a  custard  as  in  the  last  recipe,  and  while  still  hot  stir  in 
half  a  cupful  of  grated  cocoanut  sweetened  with  two  tablespoon- 
fuls of  powdered  sugar.  Heat  over  the  fire  for  three  minutes, 
pour  into  a  pie-plate  lined  with  puff-paste,  and  bake. 

COCOANUT  PIE. 

Cream  half  a  cupful  of  butter  and  a  cupful  of  sugar  with  a 
tablespoonful  of  rose-water  and  a  tablespoonful  of  sherry.  Beat 
into  this  a  scant  cupful  of  grated  cocoanut,  whip  in  the  stiffened 
whites  of  three  eggs,  and  bake  in  pie-plates  lined  with  puff-paste. 

ORANGE  PIE. 

Cream  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  with  three-quarters  of  a 
cupful  of  sugar,  beat  in  the  juice  and  half  the  grated  rind  of 
one  large  orange  and  half  the  grated  peel  and  juice  of  one  lemon. 
Whip  light,  add  the  beaten  yolks  of  three  eggs ;  fill  two  pie- 
dishes  lined  with  puff-paste  with  the  mixture  and  bake.  When 
the  pies  are  done  whip  the  whites  of  the  eggs  stiff  with  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  powdered  sugar  and  spread  upon  them,  return- 
ing to  the  oven  for  a  few  minutes  to  bake  the  meringue. 

LEMON  PIE.    (No.  J.) 

Peel  a  lemon,  taking  all  the  thick  white  inner  rind  off  with 
the  outer.  Chop  the  pulp  of  the  lemon  and  grate  the  yellow 
peel,  removing  all  the  seeds.  Pare  and  core  a  fine  pippin  and 
chop  it  also.  Cream  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  with  a  cupful  of 


432  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

sugar,  beat  in  the  lemon,  the  apple,  and  the  grated  peel,  and  bake 
in  open  shells  of  pastry.  You  can,  if  you  like,  add  a  meringue 
like  that  on  the  orange  pie. 

LEMON  PIE.    (No.  2.) 

Cream  a  tablespoonful  of  butter  with  a  cupful  of  sugar,  beat 
into  the  cream  the  juice  of  a  lemon  and  half  of  the  grated  peel, 
then  a  large  spoonful  of  raisins,  seeded  and  chopped,  and  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  arrow-root  or  corn-starch  wet  with  cold  water.  Beat 
hard  and  bake  with  upper  and  lower  crusts  of  puff -paste. 

LEMON  TARTLETS. 

Five  eggs ;  five  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar  ;  one  quart  of  milk ;  one- 
third  cupful  of  prepared  flour ;  one  lemon,  a  large  one,  juice  and 
grated  peel ;  a  pinch  of  salt.  Heat  the  milk,  stir  in  the  flour 
wet  with  a  little  cold  milk,  and  heat  again,  stirring  all  the  while. 
Pour  upon  the  beaten  yolks  and  sugar ;  cook  for  one  minute. 
Take  from  the  fire  and  beat  in  the  lemon-juice  and  grated  rind. 
Have  ready,  baked  and  hot,  some  shells  of  puff-paste  lining 
pate-pans.  Fill  with  the  mixture  and  cover  each  with  a 
meringue  made  of  the  whipped  whites  and  a  little  powdered 
sugar.  Put  into  the  oven  to  set,  and  lightly  color  the  meringue. 
Eat  fresh,  but  not  hot. 

CHRISTMAS  LEMON  TART. 

Two  cupfuls  of  sugar;  one  cupful  of  butter;  six  eggs;  two 
lemons ;  two  large  tablespoonfuls  of  brandy ;  one  teaspoonful  of 
grated  nutmeg. 

Beat  butter  and  sugar  together,  add  the  whipped  yolks,  the 
juice  of  one  lemon  and  the  rind  of  two,  the  nutmeg,  the  brandy, 
and  the  stiffly  beaten  whites  of  the  eggs.  Bake  in  small  pastry- 
shells  and  use  no  top  crust. 

AMBER,  OR  "TRANSPARENT,"  LEMON  PIE. 
Cream  half  a  pound  of  butter  with  a  pound  of  sugar ;  beat  in 
the  yolks  of  six  eggs  ;  the  juice  and  grated  peel  of  a  lemon ;  half 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  433 

a  teaspoonful  of  nutmeg  and  a  tablespoonful  of  brandy ;  finally, 
the  whites  of  four  eggs,  whipped  stiff. 

Bake  in  open  pie-crust,  washed  over  with  the  white  of  an  egg. 
When  done,  spread  upon  the  top  the  whites  of  two  eggs,  beaten 
to  a  meringue,  with  two  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar,  and  a  little  lem- 
on-juice. Leave  in  the  oven  a  few  minutes  to  set  the  meringue. 
Eat  cold. 

28 


SWEET   OMELETS. 

OMELET  AUX  CONFITURES. 

SEVEN  eggs  ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar  ;  one-half  cupful  of 
milk  (or  cream) ;  grated  peel  of  half  a  lemon ;  one-half  cupful 
of  marmalade  or  jam.  Beat  yolks  and  whites  apart  and  very 
stiff.  Add  sugar,  lemon,  and  milk  to  the  yolks ;  then,  with  a 
few  rapid  whirls  of  your  egg-beater,  the  whites.  Put  the  mar- 
malade in  the  bottom  of  a  neat  bake-dish  (buttered),  pour  on 
the  omelet,  and  bake  until  it  has  puffed  up  high  and  begins  to 
"crust"  well.  Serve  in  the  bake-dish  at  once  or  it  will  fall. 
Eight  minutes  should  suffice  to  cook  it. 

BAKED  OMELET  SOUFFLE. 

Beat  the  yolks  of  four  eggs  smooth  with  three  tablespoonfuls  of 
powdered  sugar  and  a  teaspoonful  of  essence.  In  a  separate 
bowl  whip  the  whites  so  stiff  that  you  could  cut  them  with  a 
knife.  Fold  the  whites  lightly  into  the  yolks  and  the  sugar  and 
turn  into  a  buttered  pudding-dish,  still  lightly.  Sift  powdered 
sugar  over  the  top,  and  bake  in  a  steady  oven  until  lightly 
browned. 

Send  immediately  to  the  table  in  the  dish. 

FRIED  OMELET  SOUFFLE. 

Mix  as  above,  but  fry,  as  you  would  a  plain  omelet,  in  a  little 
butter  in  a  frying-pan.  Turn  out  upon  a  very  hot  platter,  sift 
powdered  sugar  over  it,  and  serve  instantly. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  435 

APPLE  OMELET. 

Into  a  cupful  of  strained  apple  sauce  stir,  while  it  is  hot,  a 
tablespoonful  of  butter,  half  a  cupful  of  powdered  sugar,  and  half 
a  teaspoonful  of  mace  or  nutmeg.  Let  it  get  cold  and  add  the 
beaten  yolks  of  five  eggs.  Beat  hard  and  high  for  two  minutes, 
and  put  in  the  stiffened  whites  very  gently  with  a  good  pinch  of 
soda  dissolved  in  a  teaspoonful  of  cream.  Turn  the  mixture 
into  a  buttered  and  heated  bake-dish  and  bake  in  a  steady  oven 
until  puffy  and  delicately  browned.  Send  at  once  to  the  table. 

JELLY  OMELET. 

Beat  the  yolks  of  five  eggs  light ;  add  then  two  heaping  table- 
spoonfuls  of  powdered  sugar ;  next,  four  tablespoon fuls  of  cream ; 
finally,  the  stiffened  whites.  Have  ready  a  tablespoonful  of  but- 
ter in  a  frying-pan,  and  when  hot  pour  in  the  omelet.  As  it 
"sets,"  spread  upon  one-half  of  it  several  spoonfuls  of  currant, 
grape,  or  other  jelly.  Double  the  omelet  upon  the  jelly  and 
turn  out  upon  a  hot  platter.  Sift  powdered  sugar  over  it,  and 
serve. 


CUSTARDS,    BLANC-MANGE,    JELLIES, 

ETC. 

GENERAL  RULES  FOR  CUSTARDS. 

1 .  Five  eggs  and  as  many  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar  for  each  quart 
of  milk  is  a  safe  general  rule  for  custard  making. 

2.  Do  not  let  the  milk  really  boil  before  adding  it  to  the 

eggs. 

3.  Do  not  stir  the  eggs  and  sugar  into  the  milk,  but  pour  grad- 
ually the  hot  milk  upon  them. 

4.  A  pinch  of  soda  in  the  milk  is  a  safeguard  against  curdling. 

5.  Always  cook  custard  in  a  double  boiler,  or  in  a  vessel  set 
within  another  of  boiling  water.      Scorching,  or  "  catching,"  is 
impossible  if  this  precaution  be  taken. 

6.  Experience  is  the  only  teacher  as  to  the  precise  moment 
when  a  custard  has  thickened  sufficiently.     The  mixture  should 
be  as  smooth  as  rich  cream  and  coat  the  spoon  evenly.     If  the 
spoon,  dipped  in  and  withdrawn,  has  a  thin,  slightly  granulated 
liquid  clinging  to  it,  the  custard  is  still  raw.     Watch  incessantly 
for  the  right  instant  of  removal  from  the  fire. 

BOILED  CUSTARDS. 

One  quart  of  milk  ;  yolks  of  five  eggs  and  the  whites  of  seven  ; 
six  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar  ;  two  teaspoonfuls  of  vanilla. 

Scald  the  milk,  stir  in  the  yolks,  beaten  light,  with  the  sugar. 
Pour  the  hot  milk  upon  these,  "  fold  "  in  the  whites  of  five  eggs, 
return  to  the  fire,  and  stir  until  it  thickens.  When  cold,  season 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  437 

and  pour  into  small  cups.  Whip  the  whites  of  two  eggs  to  a 
meringue  with  a  tablespoonful  of  powdered  sugar,  and  heap  a 
large  spoonful  upon  each  cup. 

The  meringue  is  improved  by  the  substitution  of  half  a  glass 
of  currant  jelly  for  the  sugar.  Whip  it  up  with  the  whites  until 
you  have  a  pink  froth. 

BAKED  CUSTARDS. 

Make  as  above  directed,  but  instead  of  returning  to  the  fire, 
after  pouring  the  hot  milk  upon  the  eggs,  fill  buttered  custard- 
cups  with  the  mixture ;  set  in  a  pan  of  hot  water  and  bake  until 
set.  Then  draw  to  the  door  of  the  oven  and  heap  the  meringue 
high  upon  the  custards.  Close  the  oven  door  to  color  the  me- 
ringue slightly. 

CHOCOLATE  CUSTARD. 

One  quart  of  milk  ;  five  eggs  ;  one  cupful  of  sugar ;  four  heap- 
ing tablespoonfuls  of  grated  chocolate ;  two  teaspoonfuls  of  va- 
nilla extract.  Scald  the  milk,  rub  the  chocolate  to  a  smooth 
paste  in  a  little  cold  milk.  Stir  into  the  milk  and  cook  two 
minutes  in  it.  Beat  up  the  yolks  of  the  five  eggs  with  the  whites 
of  two,  and  the  sugar.  Pour  the  hot  mixture,  gradually,  upon 
them,  stirring  deeply.  Turn  into  a  buttered  pudding-dish,  and 
set  in  a  dripping-pan  of  boiling  water.  Bake  until  firm.  When 
"set"  in  the  middle,  spread  quickly,  without  taking  from  the 
oven,  with  a  meringue  made  by  whipping  the  reserved  whites 
stiff  with  a  very  little  sugar.  Bake  until  this  is  done.  Eat 
cold. 

STRAWBERRY  CUSTARD. 

Make  a  custard  of  one  pint  of  milk,  the  yolks  of  three  eggs, 
and  four  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar.  Set  it  aside  to  cool.  Beat  the 
whites  of  the  eggs  until  stiff,  add  to  them  four  tablespoonfuls  of 
powdered  sugar,  and  beat  again  until  stiff  and  white.  Put  about 
a  pint  of  strawberries  into  a  deep  dish,  pour  over  the  custard,  heap 
the  whites  in  spoonfuls  over  the  top,  dust  with  sugar,  place  in 
the  oven  a  moment  to  brown.  Serve  ice-cold. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


ARROW-ROOT  CUSTARDS. 

Scald  two  cupfuls  of  milk,  and  stir  into  it  a  heaping  table- 
spoonful  of  arrow-root  wet  up  with  a  little  cold  milk.  Cook 
until  it  thickens  ;  take  from  the  fire  and  pour  upon  the  yolks  of 
two  eggs,  beaten  smooth  with  four  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar. 
Return  to  the  fire-,  stir  for  two  minutes,  season  to  taste,  and  pour 
into  custard-cups.  Set  these  in  a  pan  of  hot  water  in  the  oven. 
Beat  the  whites  of  the  eggs  to  a  meringue  with  two  tablespoonfuls 
of  sugar,  and  when  the  cups  have  been  three  minutes  in  the  oven, 
heap  them  with  the  meringue,  sift  powdered  sugar  over  it,  and 
leave  in  the  oven  to  color  lightly.  Eat  ice-cold. 

ORANGE  CUSTARDS. 

Take  a  pint  of  orange  -juice  into  which  the  juice  of  one  lemon 
has  been  squeezed.  Put  to  it  the  yolks  of  six  eggs  very  well 
beaten,  a  pound  of  granulated  sugar,  and  the  grated  peel  of  one 
orange.  Stir  these  over  a  slow  fire  till  they  are  just  ready  to 
boil,  then  pour  into  custard-cups.  Eat  cold. 

STRAWBERRY  FLOATING  ISLAND. 

Make  a  custard  of  a  quart  of  milk,  the  yolks  of  five  eggs,  and 
a  cupful  of  sugar.  Cook  until  smooth,  and  when  it  is  cool 
flavor  it  with  lemon-juice.  Beat  the  whites  of  the  eggs  stiff  with 
three  tablespoonfuls  of  powdered  sugar,  and  into  this  whip  the 
sweetened  juice  from  a  pint  of  crushed  strawberries.  Serve  the 
custard,  when  ice-cold,  in  a  glass  dish  with  spoonfuls  of  the 
strawberry  meringue  floating  on  top.  The  meringue  should  not 
be  made  until  just  before  it  is  to  be  eaten. 

PLAIN  FLOATING  ISLAND 

is  made  as  in  the  last  recipe,  but  the  meringue  is  flavored  with 
vanilla,  or  other  essence,  or  beaten  up  with  fruit  jelly  of  some 
kind.  It  is  pretty  when  speckled  by  currant  jelly,  broken  up 
just  enough  to  leave  red  bits  here  and  there  in  the  stiffened 
whites. 


THE   NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  439 

ARROW-ROOT  PUDDING. 

Three  tablespoonfuls  of  arrow-root.  Get  the  Bermuda  if  you 
can,  or  you  may  require  more ;  three  cupfuls  of  fresh  milk;  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  sugar ;  one  tablespoonful  of  butter ;  one-quarter 
pound  of  crystallized  peaches,  chopped  fine.  Heat  the  milk  to 
scalding,  and  stir  in  the  arrow-root  wet  up  with  cold  milk.  Stir 
ten  minutes,  and  add  sugar  and  butter.  Stir  five  minutes  more, 
and  pour  out.  When  nearly  cold  beat  in  the  fruit.  Pour  into 
a  wet  mould.  When  cold  and  stiff  turn  out  upon  a  dish,  and  eat 
•with  sugar  and  cream.  It  is  very  good  without  the  fruit,  but 
needs  more  sugar  in  making. 

PLAIN  BLANC-MANGE. 

Soak  half  a  box  of  gelatine  for  two  hours  in  a  cupful  of  milk. 
Scald  three  liberal  cupfuls  of  milk  and  stir  into  it  half  a  cupful 
of  sugar.  (Put  a  bit  of  soda  into  the  milk.)  Pour  the  milk 
over  the  soaked  gelatine,  stir  one  minute  over  the  fire  to  make 
sure  that  the  gelatine  is  dissolved,  and  strain  through  a  cloth. 
When  cool,  flavor  and  pour  into  a  mould  wet  with  cold  water. 

TUTTI-FRUTTI  BLANC -MANGE. 

Make  as  just  directed,  season  with  rose-water,  and  when  the 
blanc-mange  begins  to  thicken  in  the  bowl,  add  one  teaspoonful 
of  citron,  minced  fine,  a  tablespoonful  of  blanched  and  pounded 
almonds,  one  of  seeded  and  chopped  raisins,  and  the  same  of 
cleaned  currants.  The  blanc-mange  should  be  firm  enough  to 
hold  the  fruit  and  not  to  let  it  sink  to  the  bottom  of  the  mould, 
into  which  turn  it  when  all  the  ingredients  are  in.  Set  on  ice 
and  eat  with  whipped  cream. 

BAVARIAN  CREAM. 

Soak  half  a  package  of  gelatine  in  a  cupful  of  cold  water  for  two 
hours.  Heat  a  pint  of  rich  milk  and  pour  upon  the  soaked  gela- 
tine, stirring  until  it  is  dissolved.  Then  add  it  to  the  yolks  of 
four  eggs,  beaten  light,  with  a  scant  cupful  of  powdered  sugar. 


440  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

Stir  over  the  fire  for  four  minutes,  remove  and  flavor,  and  let  it 
get  cold,  but  not  harden.  It  should  be  like  yellow  cream  when 
you  beat  into  it,  a  spoonful  at  a  time,  a  pint  of  whipped  cream. 
When  it  is  all  in,  put  into  a  wet  mould  and  set  in  the  ice  to  form. 
There  are  countless  varieties  of  Bavarian  cream,  but  the  base 
of  all  is  that  just  given. 

TAPIOCA  CUSTARD, 

Soak  four  tablespoonfuls  of  tapioca  (pearl)  in  two  cupfuls  of 
cold  water  for  four  hours.  Scald  a  quart  of  milk  and  pour  upon 
the  tapioca  without  draining  the  latter,  adding  a  good  pinch  of 
salt.  Stir  over  the  fire  to  a  boil  and  turn,  gradually,  upon  the 
yolks  of  three  eggs,  beaten  light,  with  a  cupful  of  sugar.  Cook 
in  a  double  boiler  until  thick.  Ten  minutes  should  be  enough. 
Pour  into  a  bowl,  and  when  it  is  quite  cold,  fold  into  the  cus- 
tard the  whipped  white  of  the  eggs,  with  a  teaspoonful  of  vanilla 
or  other  extract.  Set  upon  ice  until  it  is  wanted.  The  whites 
should  be  added  not  more  than  half  an  hour  before  you  mean  to 
serve  the  custard. 

Brandied  peaches  are  a  pleasant  accompaniment  to  this  des- 
sert. 

TAPIOCA  BLANC -MANGE. 

One  scant  cupful  of  tapioca  ;  one  large  cupful  of  cold  water ; 
two  cupfuls  of  milk ;  one  cupful  of  sugar  ;  two  teaspoonfuls  of 
vanilla ;  pinch  of  salt  and  the  same  of  soda  in  the  milk.  Soak 
the  tapioca  in  the  water  four  or  five  hours.  Scald  the  milk,  stir 
in  the  sugar,  then  the  soft,  clear  tapioca.  Cook  and  stir  fifteen 
minutes ;  take  from  the  fire,  pour  into  a  bowl,  put  in  your  egg- 
beater  and  whip  two  minutes  to  get  out  the  lumps.  Flavor,  and 
mould  in  cups  or  bowls  wet  with  cold  water.  When  firm,  turn 
out  and  eat  with  cream. 

CORN -STARCH   BLANC -MANGE   WITH   BRANDIED 
PEACHES. 

One  quart  of  milk  ;  four  tablespoonfuls  of  corn-starch  wet  in 
cold  water ;  three  beaten  eggs ;  one  cupful  of  sugar ;  grated  peel 


THE   NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  441 

of  half  a  lemon  ;  one  saltspoonful  of  salt.  Scald  the  milk  in  a 
farina-kettle  ;  stir  in  corn-starch,  lemon,  and  salt,  and  cook  five 
minutes.  Pour  this  upon  the  beaten  eggs  and  sugar,  return  to 
the  fire,  and  stir  two  minutes  more.  Pour  into  a  wet  mould 
and  set  in  a  cold  place  for  four  or  five  hours.  Turn  out  upon  a 
broad  glass  dish  and  lay  brandied  peaches  about  the  base.  In 
helping  it  out  put  a  peach  upon  each  share  of  blanc-mange. 

COFFEE  BLANC-MANGE. 

One-half  package  of  gelatine  ;  two  scant  cupfuls  of  milk  ; 
one  cupful  strong  clear  coffee  ;  one-half  cupful  of  sugar  ;  pinch 
of  soda  in  the  milk  ;  one-half  cupful  of  cold  water.  Soak  the 
gelatine  two  hours  in  the  water.  Scald  the  milk,  stir  in  soda 
and  sugar  until  dissolved,  add  the  gelatine,  and,  this  melted,  the 
coffee,  hot  and  freshly  made.  Boil  all  together  two  minutes  and 
strain  through  a  thick  cloth  into  a  wet  mould.  Eat  with  cream 
and  sugar. 

CHOCOLATE   BLANC  -  MANGE. 

Make  a  plain  blanc-mange  with  half  a  package  of  gelatine,  a 
pint  of  hot  milk,  and  a  scant  half  cupful  of  sugar  ;  rub  four  liberal 
tablespoonfuls  of  grated  chocolate  smooth  with  a  little  milk  and 
add  to  the  boiling  milk.  Stir  over  the  fire  until  the  mixture 
almost  boils.  When  cold,  flavor  with  vanilla  and  turn  into  a 
wet  mould. 

TEA,  COFFEE,  AND  CHOCOLATE  BLANC-MANGE. 

One  quart  of  milk ;  one  package  of  gelatine ;  one  cupful 
of  sugar ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  grated  chocolate ;  one  cupful 
of  strong  tea ;  one  cupful  of  strong  coffee.  Soak  the  gelatine 
an  hour  in  a  cupful  of  cold  water.  Heat  the  milk  to  boiling 
and  add  the  gelatine.  When  this  is  dissolved,  put  in  the 
sugar,  stir  until  melted,  and  take  from  the  fire.  Strain  through 
thin  muslin  and  divide  into  three  parts.  Into  the  largest  stir  the 
chocolate,  rubbed  smooth  in  cold  water ;  into  another  the  tea, 
and  into  a  third,  equal  to  the  second,  the  coffee.  Return  that 
containing  the  chocolate  to  the  farina-kettle,  and  heat  scalding- 


442  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

hot.  Rinse  out  the  kettle  well  with  boiling  water,  and  put  in, 
successively,  those  portions  flavored  with  the  tea  and  the  coffee, 
scalding  the  vessel  between  each.  Wet  several  small  cups  or 
glasses  with  cold  water.  Pour  the  chocolate  into  some,  the  tea 
into  others,  and  the  coffee  blanc-mange  into  the  rest.  When 
cold,  turn  out  upon  a  flat  dish  and  eat  with  sugar  and  sweet 
cream. 

NARCISSUS  BLANC-MANGE. 

One  quart  of  milk  ;  one  package  of  gelatine,  soaked  in  two 
cupfuls  of  cold  water ;  yolks  of  four  eggs,  beaten  light ;  two 
cupfuls  of  white  sugar  ;  one  large  cupful  of  sweet  cream,  whipped 
with  a  little  powdered  sugar,  and  flavored  with  vanilla;  rose- 
water  for  the  blanc-mange.  Heat  the  milk  to  scalding.  Stir  in 
the  sugar  and  gelatine,  and  when  these  are  dissolved,  beat  in 
the  yolks,  and  cook  two  minutes.  Turn  out  into  a  shallow  dish 
to  cool.  When  it  begins  to  form,  put  a  few  spoonfuls  at  a  time 
into  a  bowl,  and  whip  vigorously,  flavoring  with  rose-water. 
When  it  is  a  yellow  sponge,  put  into  a  wet  mould,  with  a  cylin- 
der in  the  centre.  When  it  is  firm,  turn  into  a  dish,  and  fill  the 
hole  in  the  middle  with  whipped  cream  just  churned.  Lay  more 
whipped  cream  about  the  base.  Like  all  other  preparations  of 
gelatine,  this  should  be  kept  upon  ice  until  you  are  ready  to 
use  it. 

EASTER  EGGS. 

Make  a  quart  of  blanc-mange  in  the  usual  way.  Empty  twelve 
egg-shells  through  a  small  hole  in  one  end  and  rinse  well  with 
cold  water.  Divide  the  blanc-mange  into  four  parts.  Leave  one 
white;  stir  into  another  two  beaten  yolks;  into  a  third  choco- 
late ;  into  the  fourth  cochineal  coloring.  Heat  the  yellow  over 
the  fire  long  enough  to  cook  the  egg.  Fill  the  shells  with  the 
various  mixtures,  three  of  each.  Set  upright  in  a  pan  of  meal  or 
flour  to  keep  them  steady,  and  leave  until  next  day.  Then  fill 
a  glass  bowl  more  than  three-quarters  full  with  nice  wine  jelly 
broken  into  sparkling  fragments.  Break  away  the  egg-shells, 
bit  by  bit,  from  the  blanc-mange.  If  the  insides  of  the  shells 
have  been  properly  rinsed  and  left  wet,  there  will  be  no  trouble 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  443 

about  this.  Pile  the  vari-colored  "  eggs  "  upon  the  bed  of  jelly, 
lay  shredded  preserved  orange-peel,  or  very  finely  shredded 
candied  citron  about  them,  and  surprise  the  children  with  them 
as  an  Easter-day  dessert. 

PEACH  TRIFLE. 

Three  cupfuls  of  milk ;  four  tablespoon fuls  of  sugar  ;  three 
eggs  ;  one  small  sponge  cake  ;  peaches  peeled  and  sliced.  Make 
a  boiled  custard  of  the  milk,  yolks  of  eggs,  and  half  the  sugar. 
Slice  the  cake,  lay  it  in  the  bottom  of  a  glass  dish,  soak  with 
the  custard  and  heap  it  with  the  sliced  peaches,  strewing  these 
plentifully  with  sugar.  Beat  the  whites  to  a  meringue  with  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  sugar,  and  cover  the  peaches  with  this.  Have 
all  the  ingredients  very  cold  before  mixing  them. 

SPONGE-CAKE  TRIFLE. 

Split  horizontally  a  "card  "  loaf  of  sponge  cake  and  spread 
between  the  halves  a  cupful  of  whipped  cream  into  which  has 
been  stirred  a  heaping  tablespoonful  of  sugar,  the  juice  and  half 
the  grated  rind  of  a  lemon.  Do  this  just  before  serving.  Sift 
powdered  sugar  on  the  top  of  the  cake.  An  easy  and  delightful 
dessert. 

GOOSEBERRY  TRIFLE. 

One  quart  of  green  gooseberries  ;  one  and  one-half  cupfuls  of 
granulated  sugar  ;  two  cupfuls  of  milk  ;  three  eggs  ;  one  pint  of 
whipped  cream.  Cook  the  gooseberries  in  a  double  boiler  until 
they  are  soft  enough  to  run  through  a  colander  and  add  one  cup- 
ful of  sugar,  or  more  if  they  are  very  sour.  While  they  are 
stewing  make  a  boiled  custard  of  the  milk,  eggs,  and  half  a  cup- 
ful of  sugar.  When  the  pulped  gooseberries  are  cool,  pour  them 
into  a  glass  dish,  cover  them  with  the  cold  custard  and  heap 
the  whipped  cream  on  top. 

RASPBERRY  TRIFLE. 

Six  small  sponge  cakes,  such  as  are  sold  for  a  cent  apiece 
at  bakers'  shops ;  one  quart  of  milk ;  five  eggs ;  one  cupful  of 


444  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

sugar  ;  one  quart  of  red  raspberries ;  one  cupful  of  sweet  cream  ; 
vanilla  for  flavoring.  Make  a  custard  of  the  milk,  the  sugar, 
and  the  yolks  of  the  eggs  ;  let  it  get  cold  and  flavor  to  taste 
with  vanilla.  Pour  the  cold  custard  into  a  dish,  cover  lightly 
with  the  raspberries  dredged  with  powdered  sugar.  Whip  the 
cupful  of  cream,  sweeten  slightly,  and  heap  irregularly  upon  the 
berries.  Set  on  ice  until  it  is  served.  It  should  not  stand  ten 
minutes  after  the  berries  go  in. 

RASPBERRY  CREAM. 

Half  a  box  of  gelatine ;  half  a  cupful  of  cold  water ;  half  a  cup- 
ful of  boiling  water;  one  cupful  of  sugar;  one  pint  of  cream, 
whipped  ;  one  pint  of  raspberry -juice. 

Soak  the  gelatine  one  hour  in  the  cold  water,  then  put  it  with 
the  sugar  and  boiling  water  in  a  double  boiler  over  the  fire  and 
stir  until  thoroughly  dissolved.  Add  the  raspberry-juice ;  strain 
and  set  in  a  cool  place.  When  it  has  begun  to  form  stir  in  the 
whipped  cream,  turn  into  a  mould,  and  set  on  the  ice  to  harden. 

RASPBERRY  FLUMMERY. 

One  quart  of  red  raspberries  ;  one  small  cupful  of  pearl  tapi- 
oca ;  half  a  cupful  of  sugar ;  two  cupfuls  of  cold  water  ;  two  cup- 
fuls  of  boiling  water. 

Soak  the  tapioca  several  hours  in  the  cold  water,  then  put  it 
on  the  fire  with  the  boiling  water  and  stir  until  clear.  Add  the 
sugar,  and  when  the  tapioca  is  lukewarm,  stir  in  the  berries.  Eat, 
when  ice-cold,  with  cream  and  sugar. 

STRAWBERRY  FRENCH  CREAM. 

Soak  half  a  box  of  gelatine  in  a  small  cupful  of  cold  water  for 
half  an  hour.  Stir  in  the  juice  and  rind  of  one  lemon  and  one 
and  one-half  cupfuls  of  sugar,  and  let  it  stand  an  hour  longer. 
Pour  on  this  two  cupfuls  of  boiling  water,  stir  until  dissolved, 
strain,  and  set  aside  to  cool.  When  it  begins  to  harden,  whip 
the  whites  of  three  eggs  stiff  and  beat  into  it  the  jelly,  a  little  at 
a  time,  until  you  have  a  smooth  sponge.  Stir  in  then  half  a  pint 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  445 

of  fresh,  firm  strawberries,  turn  all  into  a  mould,  and  set  on  the 
ice  for  a  couple  of  hours.     Eat  with  sWfcet  cream. 

STRAWBERRIES  IN  JELLY. 

Half  a  cupful  of  gelatine ;  one  and  one-half  cupfuls  of  sugar  ; 
one  lemon  ;  one  cupful  of  cold  water ;  two  cupfuls  of  boiling 
water  ;  one  pint  of  capped  strawberries. 

Make  a  plain  lemon  jelly,  and  when  it  begins  to  form  arrange 
the  berries  in  regular  order  in  the  bottom  of  a  mould  wet  with 
cold  water.  Pour  the  jelly  in  upon  them,  and  put  all  on  the  ice 
until  the  jelly  is  cold  and  hard.  Turn  out  on  a  platter  and  gar- 
nish with  whipped  cream. 

STRAWBERRY  FOAM. 

Sprinkle  a  pint  of  capped  strawberries  with  sugar,  and  set 
them  aside  in  this  for  an  hour,  when  the  juice  will  be  found  to 
run  freely.  Press  the  berries  in  a  sieve  and  extract  all  the  juice. 
Have  ready  a  half-ounce  of  gelatine  soaked  in  cold  water  for  half 
an  hour ;  add  to  this  three  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar,  and  heat  to 
the  boiling-point.  When  the  gelatine  is  thoroughly  dissolved, 
stir  in  the  strawberry -juice  and  the  juice  of  one  lemon ;  strain, 
and  when  it  is  cool  and  begins  to  thicken  beat  into  it  a  half-pint 
of  whipped  cream.  Set  on  the  ice  until  thoroughly  chilled. 

STRAWBERRY  SPONGE. 

Soak  half  a  box  of  gelatine  in  half  a  cupful  of  cold  water. 
Hull  and  mash  one  quart  of  strawberries,  and  sprinkle  over 
them  half  a  cupful  of  sugar.  Boil  one  cupful  of  water  and  half  a 
cupful  of  sugar  together  twenty  minutes,  but  do  not  boil  hard. 
Rub  the  berries  through  a  hair-sieve  or  fine  colander  ;  add  the 
soaked  gelatine  to  the  boiling  syrup,  take  from  the  fire,  turn  into 
a  bowl,  and  add  the  berry-juice ;  stir  until  the  gelatine  is  all  dis- 
solved ;  add  the  juice  of  one  lemon,  place  the  bowl  in  a  pan  of 
crushed  ice  and  beat  with  an  egg-beater  for  five  minutes.  Add 
the  whipped  whites  of  four  eggs,  and  beat  the  whole  until  it  be- 


446  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

gins  to  thicken.     Pour  into  wet  moulds  and  set  on  the  ice  to 
harden.     Serve  very  cold  with  cream. 

ROSE  CREAM. 

Soak  one  ounce  of  pink  gelatine  in  a  cupful  of  cold  water 
until  soft.  Pour  over  it  two  cupfuls  of  boiling  water  and  stir 
until  dissolved.  Add  a  cupful  and  a  half  of  sugar,  and  enough 
of  the  extract  of  rose  to  flavor  it  very  decidedly.  Set  the  jelly 
thus  made  in  a  cool  place,  and  when  it  begins  to  form  whip  it 
into  the  whites  of  three  eggs  which  you  have  beaten  to  a  froth. 
Beat  until  the  jelly  and  the  eggs  are  a  stiff  sponge,  and  then  turn 
this  into  a  prettily  shaped  mould  wet  with  cold  water.  Let  it 
stand  on  the  ice  for  some  minutes  before  it  is  used. 

FRENCH  ORANGE  JELLY. 

Squeeze  the  juice  from  five  oranges  and  one  lemon  and  re- 
move every  seed.  Rub  two  of  the  oranges  with  six  lumps  of  sugar 
so  as  to  make  each  lump  very  yellow  and  oily  ;  in  this  way  you 
obtain  the  flavor  of  the  peel.  Add  half  a  pint  of  boiling  syrup 
made  by  boiling  one  scant  cupful  of  granulated  sugar  and  the 
yellow  lumps  with  two  tablespoon fu Is  of  water  for  five  minutes. 
When  nearly  cold  add  an  ounce  of  gelatine  that  has  been  dis- 
solved in  a  little  water  ;  stir  well.  Turn  into  a  wet  mould  and 
set  in  a  cold  place  until  firm. 

STRAWBERRY  CHARLOTTE. 

Cover  one-fourth  of  a  box  of  gelatine  with  a  quarter  of  a  cupful 
of  cold  water.  Whip  one  pint  of  cream  until  it  makes  three 
pints.  Boil  with  one-third  of  a  cupful  of  granulated  sugar  a 
small  cupful  of  milk  ;  when  boiling  add  the  gelatine  and  stir  un- 
til dissolved.  Strain  it  into  a  bowl  and  add  a  tablespoonful  of 
lemon-juice.  Stand  the  bowl  in  a  pan  of  crushed  ice,  stir  occa- 
sionally, and  when  the  mixture  is  cold  and  begins  to  thicken, 
stir  in  lightly  the  whipped  cream.  Line  a  mould  or  a  plain 
bowl  with  whole  strawberries,  and  when  the  cream  is  nearly 
stiff  enough  to  drop,  pour  it  into  the  mould. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  447 


SNOW  PUDDING. 

One-half  package  of  gelatine  ;  three  eggs  ;  one  pint  of  milk  ; 
two  cupfuls  of  sugar ;  juice  of  one  lemon ;  one  large  cupful  of 
boiling  water.  Soak  the  gelatine  one  hour  in  a  cupful  of  cold 
water,  then  stir  in  two-thirds  of  the  sugar,  the  lemon-juice,  and 
the  boiling  water.  Beat  the  whites  of  the  eggs  to  a  stiff  froth, 
and  when  the  strained  gelatine  is  quite  cold,  whip  it  into  the 
whites,  a  spoonful  at  a  time,  for  half  an  hour.  When  all  is 
white  and  stiff,  pour  into  a  wet  mould,  and  set  in  a  cold  place. 
When  the  mixture  is  stiff  dip  the  mould  into  hot  water,  and  turn 
out  into  a  glass  dish.  Make  a  custard  of  the  milk,  yolks,  and  the 
rest  of  the  sugar,  flavoring  with  vanilla.  Boil  until  it  begins  to 
thicken.  When  the  meringue  is  turned  into  the  dish,  pour  this 
custard,  cold,  about  the  base. 

COCOANUT  BLANCMANGE. 

Make  a  plain  blanc-mange  with  a  scant  measure  of  milk. 
When  the  gelatine  has  been  added,  mix  in  a  cupful  of  boiling 
water  in  which  a  grated  cocoanut  has  been  soaked  for  fifteen 
minutes,  then  beaten  up  hard  in  it,  finally  strained  out  of  it  in  a 
coarse  cloth.  The  cloth  must  be  squeezed  and  wrung  to  get 
every  drop  of  moisture  from  the  cocoanut.  Whip  the  mixture 
together  well  and  put  into  a  wet  mould. 

ORANGE  TRIFLE. 

One  pint  of  cream,  whipped  stiff;  three  eggs — yolks  only; 
one  cupful  of  powdered  sugar;  one-half  package  of  gela- 
tine, soaked  in  a  cupful  of  cold  water;  juice  of  two  sweet 
oranges;  grated  rind  of  one  orange;  one  cupful  of  boiling 
water.  Stir  the  soaked  gelatine  in  the  boiling  water.  Mix  the 
juice,  rind,  and  sugar  together,  and  pour  the  hot  liquid  over 
them.  Should  the  gelatine  not  dissolve  readily,  set  all  over  the  fire 
and  stir  until  clear.  Strain,  and  stir  in  the  beaten  yolks.  Heat 
quickly  within  a  vessel  of  boiling  water,  stirring  constantly  lest 


448  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

the  yolks  should  curdle.  If  they  should,  strain  again  through 
coarse  flannel.  Set  aside  until  perfectly  cold  and  slightly  stiff, 
when  whip  in  the  frothed  cream.  Wet  a  mould,  fill,  and  set  it 
on  ice. 

CHARLOTTE  RUSSE.    (No.  J.) 

Line  a  dish  with  sliced  sponge  cake  or  with  lady-fingers,  and 
fill  the  centre  with  whipped  cream  sweetened  slightly  and  fla- 
vored to  taste. 

This  is  the  simplest  form  of  the  popular  delicacy. 

CHARLOTTE  RUSSE.    (No.  2.) 

Line  a  glass  dish  as  directed  in  last  recipe,  spread  the  cake 
with  jelly  or  jam  and  fill  with  whipped  cream. 

CHARLOTTE  RUSSE.    (No.  3.) 

Line  a  mould  with  sponge  cake,  sliced,  or  whole,  or  with 
lady-fingers  fitted  neatly  to  the  sides  and  bottom,  and  fill  with 
such  a  mixture  as  you  would  prepare  for  snow  pudding.  Set  on 
ice  until  firm,  and  turn  out  carefully  upon  a  flat  dish. 

TIPSY  PARSON. 

Line  a  glass  dish  with  sliced  sponge  cake,  pour  upon  this  two 
glasses  of  sherry,  and  when  the  cake  is  well  soaked  fill  the  centre 
with  whipped  cream,  sweetened  and  flavored  to  taste. 

Or— 

Fill  the  space  in  the  middle  of  the  cake  with  a  rich,  cold  cus- 
tard, or  a  snow-pudding  mixture. 

HEDGEHOG  TRIFLE. 

Lay  an  oblong  sponge  cake  in  a  glass  dish  and  soak  with  wine. 
Stick  blanched  almonds  in  it  in  regular  rows  from  end  to  end, 
half  burying  them  in  the  cake.  Now  soak  in  warm  custard, 
poured  over  it,  a  large  spoonful  at  a  time,  and  when  the  custard 
is  absorbed,  heap  whipped  cream  about  the  base.  Eat  cold.  A 
pretty  dessert  and  easily  made. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  449 


PEACH  TRIFLE. 

Stew  peaches  soft,  run  through  a  colander,  sweeten  to  taste, 
and  return  to  the  fire  to  get  hot.  You  should  have  a  pint  of 
the  peach  sauce  when  this  has  been  done.  Soak  half  a  box  of 
gelatine  in  a  cupful  of  cold  water  for  four  hours;  when  the 
peach  sauce  is  again  scalding,  stir  in  the  soaked  gelatine.  As 
soon  as  it  is  dissolved,  remove  from  the  fire  and  let  it  get  cold, 
but  not  stiff  before  you  add,  lightly  and  quickly,  two  cupfuls  of 
whipped  cream.  Fill  a  wet  mould  with  the  mixture  and  set  on 
ice.  When  firm,  turn  out. 

You  can  use  apple  sauce,  canned  peaches,  apricots,  cherries, 
plums,  strawberries — indeed  any  canned  or  ripe  fruit  for  this 
purpose,  and  be  satisfied  with  the  result. 

VICTORIA  PUDDING. 

Two  cupfuls  of  milk  ;  four  eggs  ;  half  a  package  of  gelatine  ; 
half  a  cupful  of  sugar ;  vanilla  or  other  essence;  one  sponge  cake; 
two  glassfuls  of  wine ;  raspberry  or  other  jelly.  Soak  the  gelatine 
in  the  milk  for  one  hour.  Put  into  a  farina-kettle  with  a  tiny  bit 
of  soda  and  heat  to  boiling,  stirring  until  the  gelatine  is  dissolved. 
Pour  upon  the  beaten  eggs  and  sugar ;  return  to  the  fire  and  cook 
one  minute.  Pour  half,  when  cold,  into  a  wet  mould.  After  half 
an  hour,  cover  this  with  slices  of  sponge  cake  with  jelly  spread 
between  them.  Wet  these  well  with  wine.  Add  the  rest  of  the 
custard  and  set  the  mould  upon  ice  or  in  a  cold  place. 

WHIPPED  CREAM. 

The  secret  of  success  in  whipping  cream  lies  mainly  in  the 
coldness  of  everything  employed  in  the  process.  Fill  a  good 
syllabub  churn — there  is  no  better  than  Silver's  upright  glass  egg- 
beater — with  ice,  and  put  the  cream  itself  in  the  ice,  for  an  hour 
or  more  before  you  use  it.  Turn  a  cupful  of  cream  into  the 
chilled  churn  if  you  wish  to  have  a  pint  when  it  is  whipped,  and 
set  the  churn — in  warm  weather — in  a  bowl  of  ice  while  you 
work  the  piston  up  and  down,  steadily,  but  never  fast,  until  the 

20 


45O  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

cream  is  smooth  and  firm,  like  a  good  meringue.     Sweeten  to 
taste. 

The  work  is  so  simple  and  the  cream,  when  whipped,  may  be 
wrought  up  into  so  many  delicious  compounds,  that  it  is  a  pity 
not  to  learn  how  to  prepare  it. 

WINE  JELLY. 

Soak  a  package  of  clear  gelatine  in  a  cupful  of  cold  water  un- 
til it  absorbs  it  all.  Have  ready  the  juice  of  two  lemons  in 
which  the  grated  peel  of  one  has  been  soaked  one  hour.  Strain 
the  juice  through  muslin,  squeezing  hard,  upon  three  cupfuls  of 
sugar,  add  a  liberal  pinch  of  cinnamon,  put  into  a  bowl  with 
the  soaked  gelatine  and  pour  over  all  a  quart  of  boiling  water. 
Set  over  the  fire  for  three  minutes,  stirring  all  the  time,  and  strain 
through  a  double  flannel  bag  without  squeezing.  Let  it  drip  un- 
til the  bag  is  empty.  When  the  jelly  is  cool,  put  in  a  cupful  of 
wine — white,  or  Madeira,  or  sherry.  Wet  a  mould  with  cold 
water  and  fill  with  the  jelly.  Wrhen  it  is  firm  and  you  are  ready 
for  it,  wrap  a  cloth  wrung  out  of  hot  water  about  the  mould 
and  invert  over  a  glass  dish. 

CLARET  JELLY. 

Make  as  directed  in  foregoing  recipe,  substituting  claret  for 
sherry. 

CIDER  JELLY 
may  be  made  in  the  same  way,  using  clear  cider  instead  of  wine. 

LEMON  JELLY. 

Make  like  Wine  Jelly,  but  omit  the  wine  and  put  in  its  place 
one  small  cupful  of  cold  water.  Use  three  lemons  instead  of  the 
two  required  for  wine  jelly. 


ICES. 

1.  Rock-salt  is  better  for  freezing  ices  than  common  salt. 

2.  Break  the  ice  as  fine  as  possible.     If  you  have  no  plane 
with  which  to  shave  it,  put  it  into  a  stout  sack,  lay  it  upon  the 
floor  or  upon  stone  and  beat  with  a  wooden  mallet  or  the  flat 
side  of  a  hatchet  until  the  ice  is  like  coarse  snow. 

3.  Do  not  turn  off  the  salt  water  too  often.     It  is  the  chief 
agent  in  the  work  of  congelation. 

4.  Pack  ice  and  salt  in  alternate  layers  and  hard  all  around 
and  over  the  freezer  when  the  contents  are  frozen  and  you  wish 
to  hold  them  at  that  point  until  they  are  to  be  served. 

5.  Instead  of  dipping  the  freezer  into  hot  water  when  you 
wish  to  turn  out  the  ice  or  cream,  wrap  about  it  a  cloth  just 
wrung  out  of  hot  water,  and  shake  the  freezer  very  gently. 

There  are  freezers  now  in  general  use  that  will  freeze  a  gallon 
of  cream  in  fifteen  minutes.  Get  the  best  and  take  care  of  it 
when  you  have  it. 

DELMONICO  ICE-CREAM. 

One  quart  of  rich  milk.  Eight  eggs,  whites  and  yolks  beaten 
together.  Four  cupfuls  of  sugar  beaten  with  the  eggs,  after  the 
latter  are  light.  One  quart  of  rich  cream.  One  vanilla  bean, 
broken  in  two,  boiled  in  the  custard,  and  left  in  until  the  latter 
is  cold,  then  fished  out. 

Scald  the  milk  and  turn  it  upon  the  beaten  eggs  and  sugar. 
Pour  the  hot  milk  gradually  upon  the  mixture  and  return  to  the 
fire  in  a  double  boiler.  Stir  for  fifteen  minutes,  or  until  you 
have  a  thick  custard.  Let  it  cool,  take  out  the  bean,  beat  in  the 
cream,  and  freeze. 


452  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

Extract  of  vanilla  may  be  used  instead  of  the  bean,  but  it  is  not 
so  good. 

SELF-FREEZING  ICE-CREAM. 

One  quart  of  milk ;  eight  beaten  eggs ;  three  pints  of  rich 
cream ;  four  cupfuls  of  sugar ;  one  vanilla  bean  boiled  in  the 
custard,  or  five  teaspoonfuls  of  vanilla  essence.  Heat  the  milk  ; 
pour  it  upon  the  eggs  and  sugar.  Cook,  stirring  steadily,  fifteen 
minutes,  or  until  it  has  thickened  well.  When  cold  add  the 
cream  and  set  on  ice.  Early  next  morning  beat  in  the  cream 
and  put  all  in  a  freezer  set  in  a  pail.  Put  a  block  of  ice  be- 
tween folds  of  carpeting  and  beat  small.  Put  a  thick  layer  into 
the  outer  pail,  then  one  of  rock-salt.  Fill  the  pail  in  this  order 
and  beat  the  custard  for  five  minutes  with  a  flat  stick.  Shut 
tightly;  pack  pounded  ice  and  salt  over  it  and  put  a  folded  car- 
pet over  all.  In  an  hour  and  a  half  open  the  freezer,  first  wip- 
ing off  the  salt.  Dislodge  the  frozen  custard  from  sides  and  bot- 
tom with  a  knife  and  beat  until  the  custard  is  a  smooth  paste. 
Replace  the  cover,  let  off  the  water,  and  pack  more  pounded  ice 
and  salt  about  it.  Put  back  the  folded  carpet.  The  cream  will 
take  care  of  itself  for  four  hours,  with  a  visit  of  three  minutes 
every  two  hours  to  let  off  the  water  and  pack  in  more  salt  and 
ice.  Do  not  open  the  freezer  until  you  are  ready  for  the  cream. 
Then  take  it  out,  wipe  it  off,  wrap  a  towel  wrung  out  in  hot 
water  about  the  lower  part,  and  invert  it  upon  a  flat  dish. 

CHOCOLATE  ICE-CREAM. 

Make  as  for  Delmonico  Cream,  adding  five  tablespoonfuls  of 
grated  chocolate,  rubbed  smooth  with  a  little  cold  milk. 

COFFEE  ICE-CREAM. 

Scald  one  pint  of  pure  cream,  dropping  in  a  bit  of  soda;  add 
two  cupfuls  of  sugar,  and  when  this  has  melted,  one  cupful — a 
large  one — of  black  coffee,  very  clear  and  strong.  Finally,  stir 
in  a  heaping  tablespoonful  of  arrow-root  wet  up  with  milk.  Boil, 
stirring  constantly  for  five  minutes  after  the  boil  recommences. 


THE   NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  453 

Let  the  mixture  get  cold  and  beat  in  a  pint  of  whipped  cream. 
Freeze. 

FRUIT  ICE-CREAM,  WITH  THE  FRUIT  FROZEN  IN. 

Make  such  a  custard  as  that  indicated  in  the  recipe  for  Del- 
monico  Cream,  and  when  it  is  half-frozen  open  the  freezer  to 
beat  in  a  quart  of  peaches,  cut  up  small,  or  minced  pineapple,  or 
oranges,  or  berries,  or  bananas  well  sweetened.  Replace  the  top 
of  the  freezer,  and  proceed  to  freeze  the  contents. 

FROZEN  PUDDING. 

Two  quarts  of  vanilla  ice-cream  ;  mace ;  cinnamon  ;  nutmeg  ; 
one  lemon,  juice,  and  grated  peel ;  one  cupful  of  pale  sherry ; 
one  pound  of  crystallized  fruits,  chopped  ;  one  cupful  of  sugar  ; 
half  a  pound  of  seeded  raisins,  and  same  of  minced  citron.  Chop 
fruits,  raisins,  and  citron  fine  ;  add  wine,  lemon-juice,  and  peel ; 
season  to  taste  with  spice ;  stir  in  the  sugar,  and  cook  in  a 
closely  covered  jar  or  pail,  set  in  hot  water,  two  hours.  When 
cold  beat  into  the  vanilla  ice-cream  and  freeze.  In  the  city 
you  can  prepare  the  fruit  and  send  to  a  confectioner  to  do  the 
rest.  Served  with  whipped  cream  it  is  especially  delicious. 

TUTTI-FRUTTI  ICECREAM. 

Make  and  half-freeze  a  custard  such  as  is  prepared  for  Delmon- 
ico  Ice-Cream,  and  beat  into  the  stiffened  mass  a  pint  of  crystal- 
lized fruit  and,  if  you  wish  it,  minced  citron,  raisins,  and  cur- 
rants mixed  with  them.  Beat  in  with  the  fruits  the  juice  and 
grated  peel  of  a  lemon  and  a  glass  of  pale  sherry.  Put  the  top 
back,  and  freeze. 

LEMON  ICE-CREAM. 

Stir  into  a  quart  of  rich,  perfectly  sweet  cream,  two  cupfuls  of 
sugar,  and  when  it  is  dissolved,  pour  into  a  patent  freezer.  When 
the  crank  turns  so  stiffly  that  you  know  the  work  is  half-done, 
open  the  freezer  and  add  the  juice  of  two  lemons  and  the  grated 
peel  of  one  and  a  half.  Do  it  quickly,  replace  the  cover,  and 
turn  fast  for  awhile  lest  the  acid  should  curdle  the  cream. 


454  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

You  can  treat  frozen  custard  in  the  same  way,  adding  the 
lemon  mid-way  in  the  freezing. 

BANANA  ICE-CREAM. 

Pare  and  mince  six  fine  ripe  bananas  (with  a  silver  knife)  and 
stir  into  two  quarts  of  lemon  ice-cream  when  half-frozen.  Beat 
the  fruit  in  well  and  freeze  quickly.  City  housekeepers  can  send 
the  bananas  to  a  confectioner  to  be  minced  and  frozen.  The 
product  of  this  receipt  is  truly  luscious. 

Cocoanut  is  also  a  pleasing  addition  to  ice-cream.  It  should 
be  freshly  grated,  and  be  added  just  before  freezing. 

A  FRUIT  SURPRISE. 

One  quart  of  fruit — berries,  peaches,  bananas,  oranges,  or 
bananas  and  oranges  in  combination — chopped  or  crushed.  One 
cupful  of  cold  water  ;  two  cupfuls  of  sugar,  stirred  in  with  the 
fruit ;  whites  of  four  eggs — unbeaten.  Mix  and  freeze.  This 
"  surprise"  will  be  delightful  and  complete.  Apple  sauce, 
prunes,  or  dates,  stewed  and  chopped  fine,  may  be  substituted  for 
fresh  fruit,  and  will  defy  recognition  when  the  ice  is  served. 

NESSELRODE  PUDDING. 

Make  a  rich  custard  as  for  Delmonico  Ice-Cream,  and  when 
more  than  half-frozen  add  half  a  pound  of  marrons  glaces  cut 
into  dice,  taking  out  the  paddle  from  the  centre  of  the  freezer, 
and  thrusting,  with  a  long-handled  spoon,  the  marrons  down  into 
the  centre  of  the  custard.  Replace  the  top  of  the  freezer,  turn  it 
a  dozen  times  to  settle  the  contents,  pack  down  with  fine  ice  and 
rock-salt,  and  leave  it  for  two  hours  at  least. 

Turn  out  the  frozen  pudding  and  heap  whipped  cream  about 
the  base. 

BROWN  BREAD  ICE-CREAM. 

One  quart  of  cream  ;  half  a  pound  of  sugar  ;  three  slices  of 
Boston  brown  bread,  dried  and  toasted. 

Boil  half  the  cream  and  dissolve  the  sugar  in  it.     Add  the 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  455 

uncooked  cream,  and  when  cold  freeze  it.  Crush  and  sift  the 
brown  bread,  beat  it  into  the  frozen  cream,  and  let  it  stand 
packed  in  ice  for  three  hours. 

STRAWBERRY  MOUSSE. 

Mash  a  quart  of  berries  with  two  cupfuls  of  sugar,  and  leave 
on  ice  for  three  hours.  Soak  for  the  same  time  half  a  package  of 
gelatine  in  a  cupful  of  cold  water.  Then  pour  a  cupful  of  boil- 
ing water  over  the  soaked  gelatine,  and  stir  over  the  fire  until  it 
is  dissolved.  Rub  the  berries  through  a  fine  colander,  add  the 
dissolved  gelatine,  and  let  it  get  cold.  As  soon  as  it  is  as  thick 
as  thin  starch,  beat  into  it,  gradually,  a  quart  of  whipped  cream, 
blending  this  thoroughly  with  the  other  ingredients.  Pour  into 
a  freezer  and  freeze. 

SHERBET,  OR  LEMON  ICE. 

Six  lemons — juice  of  all  and  half  the  grated  rind  ;  one  large 
sweet  orange ;  three  tablespoon fuls  of  chopped  pineapple ;  one 
pint  of  cold  water  ;  two  cupfuls  of  sugar.  Steep  the  grated  peel 
and  pineapple  for  one  hour  in  the  lemon-and-orange  juice. 
Squeeze  hard  through  a  muslin  bag,  mix  with  the  sugar  and 
water.  When  the  sugar  is  dissolved  turn  into  a  freezer  and 
freeze. 

ORANGE  ICE. 

Make  and  freeze  as  you  would  lemon  ice,  using  the  juice  of 
six  oranges,  the  grated  peel  of  three,  and  the  juice  only  of  two 
lemons,  and  omitting  the  pineapple. 

CURRANT  ICE. 

One  pint  of  currant-juice  ;  one  quart  of  water  ;  one  cupful  of 
sugar.  Stir  until  the  sugar  is  dissolved,  strain,  and  freeze. 

CURRANT  AND  RASPBERRY  ICE. 

One  pint  of  currant-juice ;  half  a  pint  of  juice  of  red  raspber- 
ries ;  one  pint  of  water  ;  one  cupful  of  sugar. 

When  the  sugar  is  dissolved  strain  the  liquid,  and  freeze. 


456  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

CURRANT  AND  RASPBERRY  ICECREAM. 

Half  a  pint  of  currant- juice  ;  half  a  pint  of  raspberry  jam  ;  one 
pint  of  new  milk ;  one  pint  of  cream ;  one  cupful  of  sugar. 
Mix  all  thoroughly  and  freeze. 

CHERRY  ICE. 

One  quart  of  tart,  well-flavored  cherries  ;  two  cupfuls  of  sugar ; 
two  cupfuls  of  water ;  one  gill  of  brandy  or  one-half  gill  of 
maraschino. 

Stone  the  cherries,  remove  the  kernels  from  a  dozen  of  the 
stones,  rub  them  to  a  paste,  and  put  with  the  crushed  cherries. 
After  these  have  stood  together  for  an  hour  squeeze  out  the 
juice,  add  the  sugar  and  water,  stir  until  the  sugar  is  dissolved, 
strain  again,  add  the  brandy  or  cordial,  and  freeze. 

ROMAN  PUNCH. 

Two  quarts  of  water ;  one  pound  of  sugar  ;  five  lemons  ;  half 
a  pint  of  Jamaica  rum. 

Boil  the  sugar  and  water  together  for  fifteen  minutes.  Take 
it  from  the  fire  and,  when  perfectly  cold,  add  the  juice  of  the 
lemons.  Put  it  into  a  freezer  and,  when  about  half  frozen,  add 
the  rum.  Let  the  punch  stand  in  the  freezer,  packed  in  ice,  for 
two  hours  before  serving. 

STRAWBERRY  ICE. 

Juice  of  two  quarts  of  strawberries,  mashed  and  strained  ; 
equal  quantity  of  water ;  two  pounds  of  sugar ;  whites  of  four 
eggs. 

Mash  the  berries,  cover  with  sugar,  let  them  stand  one  hour  or 
more,  then  press  out  the  juice,  add  the  water,  and  freeze.  When 
half-congealed,  add  the  whites  of  eggs.  Close  carefully  and 


freeze  again. 


RASPBERRY  MOUSSE. 


One  quart  of  rich  cream  ;  one  gill  of  raspberry-juice  ;  half  a 
cupful  of  powdered  sugar. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  457 

Sweeten  the  cream,  mix  the  juice  with  it,  and  whip  all  until 
very  light  and  frothy.  Freeze  as  you  would  ordinary  ice-cream. 

RASPBERRY  ICE. 

Four  cupfuls  of  water ;  two  cupfuls  of  raspberry-juice ;  two 
cupfuls  of  sugar ;  two  lemons — the  juice  alone. 

Mix  the  juice  of  the  raspberries  and  lemons  with  the  sugar, 
and  let  them  stand  for.an  hour.  Strain  through  a  wire  sieve, 
add  the  water,  and  freeze. 

CURRANT  AND  RASPBERRY  ICE. 

Make  according  to  the  foregoing  recipe,  but  with  one  quart  of 
currants  and  the  same  of  red  or  white  raspberries.  The  combi- 
nation is  delicious. 

STRAWBERRIES  IN  AMBUSH. 

When  a  plain  custard  is  frozen  pull  out  the  central  paddle  or 
"beater"  and  fill  the  space  thus  left  with  fine  ripe  strawberries 
that  have  been  thoroughly  chilled  on  the  ice,  and  dredged  with 
sugar  just  as  they  are  going  into  the  freezer.  Spread  frozen 
cream  over  them,  replace  the  top,  and  pack  down  the  freezer  in 
rock-salt  and  fine  ice.  Leave  it  thus  for  two  hours,  turn  out, 
and  serve. 

COFFEE  FRAPPE. 

To  one  quart  of  strong  black  coffee  add  four  tablespoon fuls  of 
sugar  and  a  cupful  of  cream.  Pack  in  a  freezer  and  proceed  as 
with  ice-cream.  Serve  in  glasses. 

GINGER  ICE-CREAM. 

Make  a  custard  as  directed  for  Delmonico  Ice-Cream,  and, 
when  half  frozen,  stir  in  a  cupful  of  preserved  ginger  minced 
very  fine  with  two  tablespoon  fuls  of  syrup  from  the  preserves. 
Cover  the  freezer  and  freeze  until  firm. 

GINGER  ICE 

is  made  by  adding  the  minced  preserved  ginger  to  two  quarts 
of  lemon  or  pineapple  ice. 


FRUIT  DESSERTS. 

MELONS. 

KEEP  on  ice  until  you  are  ready  to  serve  them.  Wipe  water- 
melons and  lay  on  a  large  platter  with  carving-knife  at  hand. 
Wipe  "nutmeg"  or  musk-melons,  cut  in  two,  scrape  out  the 
seeds,  and  put  a  lump  of  ice  in  each  half.  They  are  eaten  with 
fine  sugar,  with  pepper  and  salt,  with  a  mixture  of  grated  ginger" 
and  sugar,  or  without  any  seasoning  other  than  their  own  spici- 
ness. 

APPLES. 

Polish  and  pile  in  a  fruit-dish  or  basket. 

ORANGES. 

Send  in  whole  or  with  the  peel  half  stripped  off  and  curled 
up  against  the  fruit,  or  you  may  cut  them  in  half  crosswise  and 
serve  plain,  or  with  sugar  sprinkled  thickly  over  them  and  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  rum  or  sherry  poured  on  the  sugar.  When  served 
thus  they  are  eaten  with  a  spoon. 

PEACHES  AND  PEARS. 

Wipe  and  pile,  with  bits  of  ice  between,  upon  a  broad  dish 
or  in  a  basket,  with  grapes  and  green  leaves. 

BLACKBERRIES,  STRAWBERRIES,  AND  RASPBERRIES. 

Pick  over,  capping  the  strawberries  and  rejecting  unripe  or 
decayed  berries,  but  never  washing  them.  Water  ruins  the  flavor 
irretrievably.  Send  around  "  fruit  "  sugar  with  the  berries,  also 
cream. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  459 

Large  strawberries  are  often  served  with  the  stems  on  and 
dipped  into  sugar  by  the  eater,  who  holds  them  by  the  stem  in 
doing  this.  Wash  and  drain  huckleberries  and  serve  with  sugar 
and  cream. 

FROSTED  CURRANTS. 

Whites  of  two  eggs ;  four  tablespoon fuls  of  water ;  powdered 
sugar  at  discretion. 

Select  large,  fine  bunches  of  currants,  dip  each  in  the  egg  and 
water,  and  then  roll  in  the  sugar.  Lay  on  waxed  paper  to 
dry.  When  all  have  been  treated  in  this  way  give  the  currants 
a  second  dip  in  the  sugar. 

BANANAS  AND  CREAM. 

Peel  and  slice  crosswise  at  table  a  banana  for  each  saucer, 
strew  with  fine  sugar  and  cover  with  cream.  The  bananas 
should  be  ice-cold.  They  are  very  nice  eaten  in  this  way. 

BARTLETT  PEARS  AND  CREAM. 

Pare  and  slice  the  pears,  sugar  and  cream  for  each  guest  as  he 
is  served.  Any  mild,  tender  pear  can  be  e*»ten  with  sugar  and 
cream. 

PEACHES  AND  CREAM. 

Peel  just  before  serving  the  peaches,  and  if  they  are  to  stand 
but  five  minutes,  set  on  ice.  Sugar  upon  the  saucer  as  they  are 
helped  out,  and  cover  with  cream. 

STRAWBERRIES  AND  CLARET. 

Set  the  berries  in  ice  until  almost  frozen.  As  you  serve  them, 
sprinkle  abundantly  with  sugar,  and  pour  claret  over  them. 

BANANAS  AND  WINE. 

Sprinkle  sugar  on  sliced  bananas  and  pour  over  them  a  wine- 
glassful  of  port  or  sherry.  These  are  very  nice. 


460  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


TROPICAL  SNOW. 

Twelve  sweet  oranges ;  one  grated  cocoanut ;  one  cupful  of 
powdered  sugar  ;  four  red  bananas.  Peel  and  cut  the  oranges 
into  small  pieces  by  dividing  each  lobe  crosswise  into  thirds. 
Extract  the  seeds  and  put  a  layer  of  the  fruit  in  the  bottom  of  a 
glass  dish.  Strew  with  powdered  sugar.  Over  the  layer  of  or- 
anges spread  one  of  cocoanut ;  cut  the  bananas  into  very  thin, 
round  slices,  and  lay  these,  one  deep,  upon  the  cocoanut.  Re- 
peat the  order  just  given  until  your  dish  is  full  and  the  oranges 
and  bananas  are  used  up.  The  top  layer  must  be  of  cocoanut 
sprinkled  with  powdered  sugar  and  garnished  about  the  base 
with  slices  of  banana.  Eat  soon. 

PINEAPPLE  AND  WINE. 

Pineapples  cut  into  dice,  mixed  with  sliced  oranges  or  halved 
strawberries,  or  sliced  bananas,  sprinkled  with  sugar  and  mois- 
tened with  a  couple  of  tablespoonfuls  of  sherry  or  claret,  make  a 
delicious  dessert,  if  served  ice-cold. 

PINEAPPLE  IN  THE  SHELL. 

Cut  off  the  top  and  lay  it  aside.  Trim  the  bottom  to  make  it 
stand  steadily  upon  a  plate.  Cut  out  the  inside,  leaving  a  wall 
half  an  inch  thick.  Pick  the  part  taken  out  into  small  bits  with 
a  silver  fork.  Cut  two  peeled  oranges  into  small  dice,  saving  all 
the  juice.  Mix  with  the  shredded  pineapple,  sugar  well,  put 
into  a  glass  jar,  and  bury  in  ice  for  two  hours.  When  you  are 
ready  to  serve  the  fruit  fill  the  shell  of  the  pineapple  with  this 
mixture,  pour  in  a  tablespoonful  of  sherry,  put  on  the  top  and 
send  immediately  to  table. 

You  may  substitute  strawberries  for  oranges. 

Or  you  may  serve  simply  the  shredded  pineapple  with  the 
wine.  In  this  case,  purchase  two  pineapples.  The  shredded 
contents  of  two  will  hardly  fill  one  shell. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  461 


AMBROSIA. 

Peel  and  cut  into  small  bits  six  fine  juicy  oranges,  and  lay  in  a 
glass  dish  alternately  with  strata  of  grated  cocoanut,  strewing 
each  relay  thickly  with  fruit-sugar.  The  uppermost  layer  must  be 
cocoanut  with  sugar  sifted  thickly  over  it.  In  helping  out  the 
ambrosia  give  the  guest  choice  of  accompanying  nectar  in  the 
shape  of  a  teaspoonful  of  the  best  Jamaica  rum  poured  upon  each 
saucerful,  or  the  same  quantity  of  sherry. 


SAVORES. 

OUR  grandmothers  had  a  fashion  of  inviting  home-people  and 
guests  to  take  a  pickle,  a  sliver  of  ham  or  of  salted  fish,  oftenest  of 
all,  a  cracker  and  a  morsel  of  cheese,  "  to  take  the  sweet  taste  out 
of  the  mouth  "  after  dinner.  For  a  like  reason  modern  profess- 
ors and  amateurs  in  gastronomic  art  are  bringing  into  vogue 
what,  for  want  of  a  fitting  French  phrase,  we  call  "Savories," 
as  a  sequel  to  harmonious  luncheons  and  more  stately  dinners. 

Prominent  among  these  stands  the  genus  Cheese,  with  its 
numerous  species — patrician,  middle-class,  and  plebeian. 

"Remember,  they  say,"  quotes  the  author  of  that  graceful 
and  gracious  extravaganza — "  The  Feasts  of  Autolycus  " — "  Re- 
member, they  say,  '  as  well  woman  with  but  one  eye  as  a  last 
course  without  cheese.'  '  Her  essay  upon  "The  Indispensable 
Cheese"  is  a  prose  poem  over  which  the  culinary  connoisseur 
lingers  with  a  tenderly  smiling  mouth  that  waters  meanwhile. 

Another  and  a  homelier  proverb  says  of  cheese  that  "  it  is  war- 
ranted to  digest  everything  except  itself."  This,  we  take  it,  ap- 
plies to  the  heavier  cheeses,  eaten  as  pieces  de  resistance  at  noon- 
day dinners  and  hearty  suppers  rather  than  to  the  delicate 
tid-bits  that  round  off  course  dinners  and  efface  from  tongue  and 
palate  the  sweet  that  will  be  sour  presently.  Gorgonzola, 
Roquefort,  and  Gruyere  demand  a  degree  of  education  in  the 
partaker  who  would  appreciate  the  flavor  of  each,  de  Brie  and 
Camembert  must  be  chosen  wisely  and  eaten  sparingly.  All  are 
served  with  crackers,  and  as  savories  demand  a  touch  of  piquancy, 
there  must  be  a  little  devilment  in  this  same  biscuit  or  crackers. 
Toast  and  butter  saltines,  and  spread  thinly  with  a  coating  of 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  463 

anchovy  paste,  caviare,  or  pate  de  foie  gras,  or  the  butter  may 
be  sprinkled  lightly  with  cayenne,  or  paprica,  then  strewed  with 
grated  cheese.  Cheese-straws  and  ramakins  may  follow  a  repast 
that  began  with  fruit  or  raw  oysters.  The  sandwich  also  comes 
into  service  at  this  stage  of  the  meal. 

SAVORY  TARTINES. 

Cut  Boston  brown  bread  thin,  buttering  it  on  the  loaf,  and  cut 
each  slice  into  two  small  triangles.  Spread  one  with  grated  Par- 
mesan cheese  and  sprinkle  with  cayenne,  the  other  with  ancho- 
vies rubbed  smooth  with  a  little  French  mustard.  Lay  them 
together,  inclosing  the  mixture. 

SWEET  PEPPER  AND  CHEESE  TARTINES. 

Cut  Boston  brown  bread  (buttered)  into  strips  three  inches 
long  and  one  wide,  and  cover  thickly  with  cream-cheese  or  with 
Neufchatel.  Strew  upon  the  cheese  sweet  green-peppers,  chopped 
fine  and  sprinkled  with  a  few  drops  of  lemon-juice.  Close  the 
strips  upon  the  mixture. 

ANCHOVY  CROUTONS. 

Slice  white  bread  into  strips  or  three-cornered  "sippets,"  and 
fry  to  a  pale  brown  in  hot  butter.  Drain  and  let  them  cool  sud- 
denly that  they  may  be  the  more  crisp.  Lay  upon  one  the  thin- 
nest imaginable  slice  of  cool  tomato,  a  translucent  shaving  of  cu- 
cumber, next  an  anchovy  picked  into  shreds  and  sprinkled  with 
paprica  and  lemon-juice.  Press  lightly  with  a  silver  knife  to  keep 
all  in  place,  and  keep  cold  until  served. 

SUNNY  BITS. 

Pick  anchovies  into  shreds,  season  with  paprica,  lemon-  and 
onion-juice,  and  spread  upon  thin  slices  of  buttered  white  bread 
or  upon  heated  crackers,  also  buttered.  Cover  with  yolk  of 
egg  boiled  mealy  and  rubbed  to  a  powder. 


464  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

A  SCOTCH  TID-BIT. 

Butter  heated  "Scotch  biscuits"  and  spread  with  herring- 
roes,  seasoned  with  cayenne  or  paprica  and  a  few  drops  of  lem- 
on-juice. You  can  substitute  pickled  shad-roes  for  the  herring, 
if  you  like. 

SCOTCH  WOODCOCK. 

Heat  Scotch  biscuits  (brown  crackers  known  by  that  name) 
very  hot,  and  spread  lightly  with  a  mixture  made  by  rubbing  to- 
gether a  tablespoonful  of  butter  with  one  of  anchovy  paste  and 
the  same  quantity  of  powdered  hard-boiled  yolk  of  egg. 

SARDINE  CANAPES. 

Cut  strips  or  squares  of  stale  bread  thin,  butter  and  set  in  a 
quick  oven  to  color  lightly.  Spread  with  a  mixture  of  sardines, 
skinned  and  picked  fine,  then  rubbed  smooth  with  butter  and 
seasoned  with  lemon-juice,  a  dash  of  paprica  and  a  suspicion  of 
French  mustard. 

AN  ENGLISH  SAVORY. 

Broil  delicate  slices  of  breakfast -bacon,  pepper  lightly,  touc.. 
yet  more  coyly  with  a  little  made  mustard,  and  lay  each  slice 
between  two  slices  of  Graham  bread,  cut  thin  and  buttered. 

A  CHICAGO  SAVORY. 

Carve  cold  corned  beef  so  thin  that  it  curls  in  following  the 
knife.  Each  piece  should  be  a  translucent  shaving.  Arrange 
upon  a  bed  of  water-cresses  and  serve.  Each  person  transfers  a 
dainty  shaving  and  a  sprig  of  cress  with  thumb  and  finger  from 
dish  to  plate. 

A  VIRGINIA  POUSSE-CAFE. 

Slice  cold  ham  as  directed  in  the  foregoing  recipe,  and  curl 
the  slices  upon  small  crisp  lettuce-leaves.  Serve  a  leaf  and  a 
curl  of  pink  ham  upon  each  cool  individual  plate  and  send  to 
table. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  465 

STUFFED  OLIVES. 

With  a  keen,  narrow  pen-knife  cut  the  olive  in  one  piece 
from  the  stone,  around  and  around  like  a  thick  paring.  Fill 
the  space  left  by  the  extraction  of  the  stone  with  a  paste  made 
by  rubbing  skinned  and  boneless  sardines  smooth  with  butter, 
lemon-juice,  and  the  merest  dash  of  onion-juice.  Set  the  dish 
containing  them  in  the  ice  for  at  least  one  hour  before  serving. 

You  can  buy  stuffed  olives  from  the  grocers  if  you  would 
avoid  the  trouble  of  making  them.  Set  the  glass  dish  in  which 
they  are  laid  upon  ice. 

MIXED  PICKLES. 

Line  a  dish  with  lettuce  or  cresses  and  pile  within  it  tiny 
pickled  gherkins  or  cucumbers,  olives,  pickled  limes  (small),  and 
other  miniature  pickles,  keep  on  ice  until  very  cold  and  pass  at 
the  conclusion  of  a  hot-weather  luncheon  or  dinner. 

BROILED  MUSHROOMS. 

Peel  and  stem  flat  mushrooms,  roll  in  melted  butter  and  broil 
quickly.  Lay  upon  thin,  crisp  slices  of  toast,  each  of  which  has 
been  wet  with  a  teaspoonful  of  mingled  sherry  and  lemon-juice. 
Pepper  and  salt  the  mushrooms  while  hot.  let  them  and  the 
toast  get  very  cold,  and  serve  as  a  savory. 
30 


SANDWICHES. 

HAM  SANDWICHES. 

MINCE  the  ham  very  fine,  putting  the  fat  with  the  lean. 
Work  into  this  a  suspicion  of  made  mustard,  and  spread  it  upon 
white  buttered  bread.  Always  cut  the  crust  from  the  bread 
unless  it  is  very  soft. 

CHICKEN  SANDWICHES. 

Mince  cold  boiled  or  roast  chicken  fine,  season  it  with  pepper 
and  salt  to  taste,  and  stir  it  to  a  paste  with  a  little  melted 
butter.  Spread  this  upon  thin  white  or  brown  bread,  buttered 
and  cut  as  directed  above. 

CHEAP  CHICKEN-AND-HAM  SANDWICHES. 
When  chickens  are  scarce  and  dear,  buy  for  forty  cents  a  can 
of  boned   chicken;  mince   and   mix    with  a  like  quantity  of 
chopped  ham,  seasoning  with  pepper,  and  adding  a  little  melted 
butter.     This  will  make  two  dozen  large  sandwiches. 

ROLL  SANDWICHES. 

Take  finger-rolls  that  are  at  least  half  a  day  old.  Cut  them 
in  two,  lengthwise.  Scoop  out  the  crumbs  and  fill  the  hollow 
thus  left  with  chicken,  tongue,  or  ham.  Tie  the  two  halves 
together  with  a  narrow  ribbon.  It  is  a  pretty  idea  to  indicate 
the  filling  used  by  different  colored  ribbons.  Thus,  the  tongue 
sandwiches  may  be  tied  with  a  red  ribbon,  the  ham  with  pink, 
and  the  chicken  with  light  yellow. 

Almost   any  sort  of  filling  that  is  good  in  other  sandwiches 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  467 

may  be  used  for  rolls.  The  old  method  of  laying  slices  of  meat 
between  the  sides  of  biscuit  or  pieces  of  bread  makes  graceful 
eating  extremely  difficult,  and  it  is  always  best  to  chop  the  fill- 
ing for  all  meat  sandwiches. 

SARDINE  SANDWICHES, 

Lay  the  sardines  upon  tissue-paper  for  a  few  minutes  to  free 
them  from  the  oil  in  which  they  come.  Reject  all  bits  of  skin 
or  bone,  and  break  the  sardines  to  bits  with  a  fork.  Work  into 
them  a  little  melted  butter  and  a  few  drops  of  lemon -juice,  and 
spread  them  upon  buttered  bread  or  rolls. 

EGG  SANDWICHES. 

Boil  several  eggs  hard,  rub  the  yolks  to  a  powder,  and  chop 
the  whites  to  extreme  fineness.  Mix  yolks  and  whites  to  a  paste 
with  mayonnaise  dressing  or  melted  butter,  season  to  taste,  and 
spread  upon  brown  or  white  bread. 

EGG-AND-ANCHOVY  SANDWICHES. 

Mix  two  anchovies  fine  and  add  them  to  your  egg-paste. 
Spread  rolls  or  biscuit  with  this.  Anchovy  paste  also  makes  a 
good  filling  for  sandwiches  and  is  excellent  to  spread  thinly  upon 
buttered  crackers. 

LOBSTER-MAYONNAISE  SANDWICHES. 

Chop  cold  boiled  lobster  fine  and  moisten  it  with  a  thick 
mayonnaise  dressing.  Select  white  bread,  a  day  old,  butter  each 
slice  on  the  loaf,  and  cut  very  thin.  Spread  one  slice  with  the 
lobster  mixture  and  lay  another  slice  over  it.  Do  not  have  the 
sandwich  the  size  of  the  whole  slice,  but  cut  it  into  squares,  ob- 
longs, or  triangles  that  are  easily  managed.  Salmon  mayonnaise 
or  chicken  mayonnaise  sandwiches  are  also  very  good. 

CHEESE-AND-LETTUCE  SANDWICHES  (VERY  GOOD). 

Cut  Boston  brown  bread  into  thin  slices,  butter  one  of  these 
lightly,  and  spread  it  with  Neufchatel  or  Philadelphia  cream- 


468  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

cheese.  On  this  lay  a  leaf  of  lettuce  which  has  been  dipped  for 
a  moment  in  French  salad  dressing.  Place  another  slice  of  but- 
tered brown  bread  upon  this  and  cut  the  round  into  three  triangu- 
lar sandwiches.  Water-cress  may  be  used  in  place  of  lettuce. 

FRENCH  SANDWICHES, 

Mince  and  mix  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  tongue  and  the  same 
of  ham  to  a  paste  with  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  and  three 
minced  truffles.  Season  with  paprica,  a  few  drops  of  lemon-juice, 
and  five  drops  of  onion-juice.  Spread  between  thin  slices  of 
bread,  laying  a  few  water-cress  leaves  upon  the  mixture  in  each 
before  enclosing  between  the  two  slices. 

SAVORY  SANDWICHES, 

Mix  a  cupful  of  chopped  chicken,  a  generous  slice  of  boiled 
ham  (minced),  three  tablespoonfuls  of  butter,  half  a  teaspoonful 
of  mace,  and  a  few  drops  of  onion-juice  into  a  soft  paste  with  a 
few  spoonfuls  of  oyster-liquor.  Set  in  a  saucepan  of  boiling 
water  and  stir  until  smokirig-hot.  Set  aside  to  get  cold,  and 
spread  between  thin  slices  of  Graham  bread. 

TONGUE  SANDWICHES. 

Mix  a  cupful  of  finely  chopped  tongue  with  half  as  much  boiled 
ham,  stir  in  three  tablespoonfuls  of  melted  butter  beaten  light 
with  as  much  salad  oil,  half  a  teaspoonful  of  made  mustard,  and 
a  quarter  of  a  teaspoonful  of  paprica.  When  the  mixture  is 
smooth  and  light  set  in  a  saucepan  of  boiling  water  over  the  fire 
and  cook  until  it  is  thoroughly  heated.  Beat  in  the  yolk  of  a 
whipped  egg,  take  from  the  fire  and  set  by  until  perfectly  cold. 
Spread  between  thin  slices  of  bread. 

MAYONNAISE  SANDWICHES. 

Mix  together  a  cupful  of  cold  minced  chicken  and  a  dozen 
champignons,  chopped  fine ;  season  with  salt  and  paprica  and 
beat  into  the  mixture  a  cupful  of  good  mayonnaise  dressing. 
Cut  thin  rounds  of  bread  and  spread  this  mixture  between  them. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  469 

CREAM-CHEESE  SANDWICHES. 

Rub  together  half  a  Philadelphia  cream -cheese,  a  tablespoonful 
of  butter,  the  powdered  yolks  of  two  hard-boiled  eggs;  season 
with  salt  and  paprica  and  spread  this  between  crackers — sal  tines, 
ur  water-thin  biscuits,  or  "sea-foams." 

Home-made  cottage  cheese  can  be  substituted  for  the  Phila- 
delphia. 

PIQUANT  SANDWICHES. 

Cut  bread  very  thin,  buttering  it  lightly  on  the  loaf.  Upon 
each  slice  spread  a  filling  made  by  mixing  three  hard-boiled  eggs, 
minced  extremely  fine,  with  half  their  bulk  of  sharp  green  pickle 
chopped  equally  small.  Season  this  compound  with  salt  and 
pepper  to  taste,  and  work  in  a  little  butter.  Lay  another  thin 
slice  of  bread,  buttered  side  down,  over  this,  and  cut  them  into 
square  and  triangular  sandwiches. 

CELERY  SANDWICHES. 

With  a  sharp  knife  cut  white  tender  celery  into  bits  a  quar- 
ter of  an  inch  long  until  you  have  a  cupful.  Mix  with  it  two 
minced  eggs  that  have  been  boiled  twenty-five  minutes,  then  left 
in  cold  water  until  they  have  cooled  to  the  heart.  Chop  them 
fine  and  rub  through  a  coarse  sieve,  work  up  well  with  the  celery 
and  beat  in  two  tablespoonfuls  of  mayonnaise  dressing.  Spread 
between  thin  slices  of  buttered  bread. 

LETTUCE  SANDWICHES. 

Cut  thin  slices  from  the  end  of  a  loaf  of  Graham  bread,  but- 
tering before  slicing.  Cut  these  into  rounds  with  a  cake- 
cutter.  Spread  each  slice  with  mayonnaise  dressing  and  enclose 
between  every  two  a  leaf  of  crisp  "heart  "  lettuce.  Trim  off 
the  projecting  edges  of  the  leaves. 

CRESS  SANDWICHES 

are  made  in  the  same  way. 


470  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 


TUTTI-FRUTTI  SANDWICHES. 

Chop  together  a  quarter  of  a  pound  each  of  crystallized  cher- 
ries, peaches,  and  apricots,  or  other  tart  fruit.  Wet  the  paste 
with  a  tablespoonful  of  wild-cherry  liquor  and  spread  between 
buttered  water-thin  biscuits. 

Pass  with  lemonade  or  claret  cup  at  afternoon  receptions  as  a 
variation  upon  the  everlasting  cake  and  wine,  cake  and  cream, 
cake  and  coffee. 

RAISIN  SANDWICHES. 

Seed  and  mince  fine  layer  raisins ;  moisten  with  wine,  and 
spread  between  thin  biscuits,  buttered. 

WALNUT-AND-CHEESE  SANDWICHES. 

Chop  a  cupful  of  English  walnuts,  or  hickory-nut  meats,  fine, 
mix  with  one-fourth  the  quantity  of  cream -cheese ;  salt  to  taste 
and  spread  between  thin  slices  of  buttered  Boston  brown  bread. 

SAUSAGE  SANDWICHES. 

Cook  link  sausages  in  enough  water  to  cover  them  until  the 
water,  evaporating,  leaves  them  dry.  Let  them  get  cold,  cut 
crosswise  into  the  thinnest  possible  slices.  Slice  Graham  bread 
thin  when  you  have  buttered  it  on  the  loaf,  lay  upon  each  slice 
a  lettuce-leaf,  then  a  slice  of  sausage,  then  a  mere  wafer  of  cu- 
cumber-pickle, put  another  buttered  slice  over  this,  and  you 
have  a  relishful  sandwich  for  a  winter's  afternoon  tea  or  a  supper. 

BEEF  SANDWICHES. 

Season  a  cupful  of  rare  roast  beef,  chopped  fine,  with  a  little 
celery-salt,  a  teaspoonful  of  tomato  catsup,  half  as  much  Worces- 
tershire sauce,  ten  drops  of  onion-juice,  and  a  scant  tablespoon- 
ful of  melted  butter. 

Mix  well  and  spread  between  thin  slices  of  buttered  bread. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


MUTTON  SANDWICHES. 

Season  a  cupful  of  finely  chopped  rare  mutton  with  salt,  to- 
mato catsup,  and  paprica.  Chop  a  tablespoonful  of  capers  fine 
and  mix  with  four  tablespoon  fuls  of  mayonnaise  dressing.  Spread 
thin  slices  of  bread  with  this  mixture  and  enclose  a  layer  of  the 
mutton  between  every  two  slices  thus  prepared. 

They  are  convenient  and  nice  for  picnics. 

SUPPER  CHEESE  SANDWICHES, 

Cut  thin  slices  of  rather  stale  bread  into  rounds  with  a  biscuit- 
cutter.  Work  grated  American  cheese  to  a  paste  with  a  very 
little  good  stock  —  chicken,  if  you  have  it  ;  season  with  salt  and 
cayenne.  Cut  thin  slices  of  buttered  bread  into  rounds  with  a 
cake-cutter,  spread  with  the  paste,  press  firmly  together,  and 
fry  them  in  nice  hot  dripping  or  in  half  butter,  half  cottolene. 
Drain  and  serve  hot.  They  are  very  savory. 


BEVERAGES. 

COFFEE. 

BUY  none  except  the  very  best  coffee.  A  mixture  of  Mocha 
and  Java  in  equal  proportions  is  perhaps  the  most  popular  with 
good  judges  of  the  beverage. 

"  Coffee,"  says  the  dietetist  whom  we  have  quoted  so  often  in 
these  pages,  "  owes  its  stimulant  effect  of  the  circulatory  and 
nervous  systems  to  the  theime  (or  caffeine)  and  aromatic  oil 
present.  In  order  that  coffee  may  be  enjoyed  in  perfection, 
not  only  must  it  be  free  from  admixture  with  the  cheap  and  mis- 
erable adulterants  commonly  stated  to  improve  its  taste,  but  it 
must  be  freshly  roasted  to  the  right  extent,  freshly  ground,  and 
so  made  into  a  beverage  that  its  soluble  constituents  are  extract- 
ed without  dissipating  the  aroma. ' ' 

Soyer,  the  distinguished  French  cook,  contended  that  coffee 
should  never  be  boiled.  He  was  as  strenuous  in  insisting  that  it 
must  always  be  run  twice  (at  least)  through  the  strainer  or  filter 
attached  to  the  French  "biggin"  or  coffee-pot.  When  made, 
the  coffee  should  be  clear,  bright,  and  have  almost  the  color  of 
strong  old  brandy. 

BREAKFAST  COFFEE. 

A  half-pint  of  ground  coffee ;  a  quart  of  freshly  boiled  water. 
It  must  be  on  the  active  boil.  Put  the  coffee  into  the  filter,  or 
strainer,  set  the  pot  on  the  side  of  the  range  and  pour  the  water 
(measured)  from  a  boiling  kettle  into  the  upper  strainer,  until 
the  whole  quart  is  in.  Wait  until  it  has  filtered  through,  when 
pour  through  the  spout  of  the  lower  pot  into  a  saucepan  or  other 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  473 

hot  vessel,  and  run  it  again  through  the  filter.  Do  this  three 
times,  let  the  coffee-pot  stand  for  three  or  four  minutes  in  boiling 
water  to  make  it  scalding-hot,  and  serve  by  pouring  it  into  a 
heated  silver  pot  or  directly  into  hot  cups.  It  must  not  boil 
after  it  is  made. 

BLACK,  OR  AFTER-DINNER  COFFEE. 

One  cupful  of  freshly  ground  coffee  ;  three  large  cupfuls  of 
freshly  boiled  water.  Make  as  directed  in  last  recipe,  running 
through  the  filter  three  times.  Serve  in  small  cups,  and  give  the 
drinkers  their  choice  of  sugar  or  no  sugar. 

Black  coffee  is  a  good  digestive  agent  and  is  far  more  whole- 
some than  coffee  mixed  with  cream  or  milk. 

CAFE  AU  LAIT. 

One-half  cupful  of  ground  coffee;  two  cupfuls  of  boiling 
water  ;  one  cupful  and  a  half  of  fresh  milk. 

Make  the  coffee  in  the  usual  way.  Strain  into  a  coffee-pot  or 
pitcher,  add  the  milk,  scalding-hot,  and  set  for  five  minutes, 
closely  covered,  in  boiling  water. 

When  allowed  to  cool  and  then  iced  this  is  a  favorite  bever- 
age at  hot-weather  luncheons  and  picnics. 

TEA. 

Directions  for  making  this  have  already  been  given  in  full  in 
the  FAMILIAR  TALK  on  "  Tea,  Tea- Making,  and  Tea- Drink 
ing" 

CHOCOLATE. 

Allow  to  six  tablespoon fuls  of  grated  chocolate  a  pint  of  boil- 
ing water,  and  as  much  milk.  Rub  the  chocolate  to  a  paste 
with  a  little  cold  water,  and  stir  into  the  hot  water.  Boil  twenty 
minutes;  add  the  milk  and  boil  ten  minutes  longer,  stirring 
often.  Sweeten  in  the  cups.  It  is  improved  by  laying  upon 
the  surface  of  each  cup  a  teaspoonful  of  cream. 


474  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 


MILLED  CHOCOLATE. 

When  the  chocolate  has  boiled  twenty  minutes,  and  before  the 
milk  goes  in,  take  it  from  the  fire  and  with  it  more  than  half  fill 
one  of  Silver's  tall  glass  egg-beaters  which  has  been  prepared  for 
the  scalding  liquid  by  dipping  and  rinsing  it  in  hot  water. 
Churn  vigorously  for  five  minutes,  return  to  the  saucepan  and 
set  in  hot  water  while  you  "mill"  the  rest,  if  you  have  too 
much  for  the  churn.  Add  the  hot  milk  and  cook  for  five  min- 
utes after  the  chocolate  reaches  the  boil. 

Milling  makes  the  beverage  lighter  in  color  and  in  weight, 
and  is  thought  by  epicures  to  render  it  far  more  delicate  and 
delicious.  Put  a  heaping  teaspoonful  of  whipped  cream  upon 
each  cupful  when  poured  out. 

COCOA. 

"  Cocoa,"  says  a  noted  writer  upon  Dietetics,  "  is,  for  gen- 
eral use,  a  milder,  less  stimulating,  and  more  nutritious  beverage 
than  tea  or  coffee."  As  it  contains  fifty  per  cent,  of  fat  and 
twelve  per  cent,  of  albuminoids,  the  chemical  analysis  bears  out 
the  assertion. 

Boil  a  pint  of  water,  rub  three  tablespoonfuls  of  grated  cocoa 
to  a  smooth  paste  with  cold  water  and  stir  into  the  hot  water. 
Boil  ten  minutes,  hard,  and  pour  upon  it  a  pint  of  hot  milk 
(with  a  bit  of  soda  in  it).  Boil  for  ten  minutes  longer,  stirring 
and  beating  well.  Sweeten  in  the  cups. 

COCOA  NIBS  OR  SHELLS. 

This  is  a  milder  preparation  of  cocoa.  They  are  called,  in- 
correctly, "shells,"  being,  in  fact,  the  cocoa  seeds  dried, 
roasted,  winnowed  from  the  shells,  or  husks,  and  broken  into 
coarse  fragments  known  as  "nibs." 

Wet  three  tablespoonfuls  with  a  little  cold  water,  add  to  a 
pint  of  boiling ;  cook  for  one  hour  slowly,  strain,  and  add  a 
pint  of  hot  milk.  Boil  one  minute  and  serve. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  475 

CAMBRIC  TEA. 

Put  a  lump  of  loaf-sugar  in  a  cup  ;  fill  the  cup  one-third  full 
of  cream;  let  it  stand  a  minute  to  melt  the  sugar  and  fill  up 
with  boiling  water  direct  from  the  kettle.  To  those  whose 
nerves  forbid  the  use  of  tea  or  coffee,  and  who  do  not  like  choco- 
late, this  mild,  nutritious  beverage  is  cordially  commended. 
There  is  no  milk-and-water  insipidity  about  it  if  the  cream  be 
genuine  and  the  water  on  a  fresh,  violent  boil. 

It  is  especially  good  for  invalids  and  sickly  children. 

LEMONADE. 

Four  lemons,  rolled,  peeled,  and  sliced  ;  four  large  spoonfuls 
of  sugar  ;  one  quart  of  water.  Put  lemons  (sliced)  and  sugar 
into  a  pitcher  and  let  them  stand  for  an  hour,  then  add  water 
and  ice.  If  you  substitute  Apollinaris  for  plain  water  you  have  a 
most  refreshing  drink. 

ORANGEADE. 

Make  as  you  would  lemonade,  but  add  the  juice  of  a  lemon, 
a  few  bits  of  shredded  orange-peel,  and  a  slice  of  pineapple. 
Orangeade  is  insipidly  sweet  without  these  additions. 

RASPBERRY  OR  BLACKBERRY  VINEGAR. 

Put  a  gallon  of  berries  into  a  great  crock  and  crush  them  well 
with  a  potato-beetle  or  wooden  mallet.  Cover  an  inch  deep  in 
cider- vinegar.  Set  in  the  hot  sunshine  for  a  day  and  leave  all 
night  in  the  cellar.  Stir  six  times  during  the  day  of  sunning. 
Strain  and  squeeze  the  berries  dry  and  throw  them  away.  Put 
another  gallon  of  mashed  berries  into  the  strained  vinegar  and 
leave  again  in  the  sun  all  day  and  another  night  in  the  cellar. 
On  the  morrow  strain  and  squeeze  the  berries  and  measure  the 
liquid  thus  gained. 

For  each  quart  allow  a  pint  of  water,  and  for  every  pint  of  the 
water  thus  added,  five  pounds  of  sugar  (you  have  then  five 
pounds  of  sugar  for  every  three  pints  of  mingled  juice,  vinegar, 


476  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

and  water).  Turn  into  a  porcelain-lined  or  agate-iron  kettle 
and  set  over  the  fire,  stirring  until  the  sugar  melts.  Heat  to 
boiling,  and  boil  hard  one  minute  to  throw  up  the  scum.  Skim 
well,  take  from  the  fire,  strain,  and,  while  still  warm,  bottle. 
Seal  the  corks  with  a  mixture  of  beeswax  and  rosin. 

RASPBERRY  ROYAL 

is  made  as  in  the  last  recipe,  but  a  pint  of  fine  brandy  is  added 
to  every  three  quarts  of  the  raspberry  vinegar  just  before  it  is 
bottled. 

BLACKBERRY  CORDIAL. 

Pound  and  squeeze  enough  blackberries  through  a  coarse  mus- 
lin bag  to  make  a  quart  of  juice.  Put  this  into  an  agate-iron  or 
porcelain-lined  kettle,  with  a  pound  of  sugar,  two  teaspoonfuls 
each  of  grated  nutmeg,  cinnamon,  and  allspice,  and  one  tea- 
spoonful  of  cloves.  Tie  the  spices  up  in  little  thin  muslin  bags 
and  stir  the  sugar  until  dissolved.  Set  over  the  fire  and  cook 
together,  after  the  boil  begins,  fifteen  minutes.  Take  off  the 
scum,  turn  into  a  jar,  and  cover  closely  while  it  cools.  When 
perfectly  cold  strain  out  the  spices  and  add  a  pint  of  good 
brandy.  Bottle  and  seal. 

This  cordial  will  keep  for  years  and  is  valuable  in  case  of  sum- 
mer complaint  and  other  intestinal  disorders. 

STRAWBERRY  SHERBET. 

Crush  two  quarts  of  strawberries  and  strain  through  muslin 
upon  a  pound  of  granulated  sugar.  Set  in  a  cold  place,  stirring 
now  and  then  until  the  sugar  melts.  Add  then  a  quart  of  cold 
water,  the  juice  of  a  lemon,  and  a  tablespoonful  of  maraschino. 
Cover  closely  and  set  on  ice  for  an  hour  or  more  before  you  use 
it.  As  it  goes  to  table  throw  in  a  handful  of  fine  ripe  strawber- 
ries capped,  that  one  or  two  may  float  in  each  glass. 

PINEAPPLE  SHERBET. 

To  three  pints  of  boiling  water  add  a  pound  of  sugar,  and  cook 
briskly  for  half  an  hour.  While  it  is  cooking  pare  a  fine  pine- 


THE   NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  477 

apple  and  grate  or  chop  it  fine.  Add  four  teaspoonfuls  of  lemon- 
juice,  and  an  orange  cut  into  small  bits.  When  the  boiled  syrup 
is  cold,  pour  it  upon  the  pineapple  and  orange,  and  bury  the 
vessel  containing  the  mixture  in  ice  for  two  hours.  When  you 
are  ready  to  use  it,  put  a  big  block  of  ice  in  a  punch-bowl  and 
pour  the  mixture  over  it.  Stir  into  it  a  wineglassful  of  sherry, 
and  if  they  are  in  season,  a  handful  of  fine  strawberries.  If  not, 
cut  two  dozen  white  grapes  in  half,  take  out  the  seeds,  and  put 
them  in  instead. 

LARNED  TEA  SHERBET. 

Measure  four  teaspoonfuls  of  good  tea  ("  Ceylon-Bud,"  if  you 
can  get  it)  into  a  pitcher,  and  pour  from  the  boiling  kettle  a 
quart  of  hot  water  upon  it.  Cover  it  closely  and  let  it  stand 
five  minutes.  Strain  and  set  in  a  cold  place  until  cool.  Put  a 
block  of  ice  into  a  punch-bowl,  and  about  it  a  cupful  and  a  half  of 
granulated  sugar,  and  strain  over  this  five  tablespoonfuls  of  lemon  - 
juice.  Add  the  tea  now,  and,  just  before  the  sherbet  is  served,  a 
pint  of  Apollinaris  water. 

A  handful  of  strawberries,  or  bits  of  fresh  orange-peel,  floating 
on  the  surface  is  a  pretty  touch  which  you  may  add  to  your 
sherbet. 

Or— 

You  may  mix  your  sherbet  in  a  pitcher,  and  fill  the  mouth  of  it 
with  sprays  of  fresh  mint. 

ORANGE  SHERBET. 

Peel  away  all  the  rind  and  the  white  skin  from  six  fine  oranges, 
and  scrape  the  pulp  away  from  the  inner  membranes,  saving 
every  drop  of  juice.  Put  pulp  and  juice  into  a  bowl  with  six 
tablespoonfuls  of  granulated  sugar  and  the  juice  of  a  lemon. 
Stir  until  the  sugar  is  melted,  add  two  tablespoonfuls  of  pine- 
apple dice,  very  small  and  thin,  and  set  on  ice  until  needed. 
Then  put  a  block  of  ice  into  a  punch-bowl,  pour  the  mixture 
about  it,  and  when  you  are  ready  to  serve  the  sherbet  add  two 
bottles  of  Apollinaris  water. 


478  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

GINGER-ALE  JULEP. 

Put  a  scant  cupful  of  granulated  sugar  into  a  glass  pitcher,  and 
squeeze  upon  it  the  juice  of  six  large  lemons.  Set  on  ice  until 
the  sugar  dissolves  and  you  are  ready  to  serve  the  sherbet.  Stick 
half  a  dozen  long  stalks  of  mint  in  the  pitcher,  bruising  the  lower 
leaves  slightly  by  pinching  between  the  thumb  and  finger ;  put 
into  the  pitcher  a  cupful  of  pounded  ice  ;  shake  hard  for  one  min- 
ute and  add  two  bottles  of  Ginger  Ale.  Pour  out  at  once.  It 
is  a  most  refreshing  and  delicious  drink  in  hot  weather.  The 
mint  sprigs  make  it  comely  and  graceful. 

MINT  JULEP. 

Pound  ice  enough  to  fill  as  many  glasses  as  there  are  people  to 
be  served.  Into  each  glass  put  three  or  four  sprigs  of  green 
mint  and  two  lumps  of  sugar.  Fill  the  glass  with  ice,  stir,  press, 
and  shake  until  the  sugar  is  dissolved  ;  pour  in,  then,  enough 
water  to  fill  the  interstices  of  the  ice  within  an  inch  of  the  top, 
stir  up  the  sugar,  and  add  a  tablespoonful  of  the  best  old  whiskey. 
Stir  this  in,  and  the  julep  is  ready  for  drinking. 

This  is  the  real  old  Virginia  "  hail-storm  "  julep,  compounded 
and  drunk  with  gusto  and  comparative  impunity  in  a  day  when 
liquors  were  pure,  and  men  knew  the  true  meaning  of  temper- 
ance. Now  the  best  place  for  the  fragrant  stimulant  is  the  sick- 
room, where  it  does  good  service. 

CLARET  CUP. 

Squeeze  the  juice  of  three  lemons  upon  four  tablespoonfuls  of 
sugar ;  add  a  pint  of  ice-water  ;  stir  well  and  pour  upon  a  block  of 
ice  set  in  a  punch-bowl.  Peel  and  slice  a  lemon  as  thin  as  paper, 
and  float  these  slices  with  a  few  shreds  of  orange-peel  upon  the 
water  before  emptying  a  quart  bottle  of  claret  into  the  bowl. 

SHERRY  COBBLER. 

Put  four  tablespoonfuls  of  granulated  sugar  into  a  pitcher  and 
cover  it  with  a  lemon,  peeled  and  sliced  very  thin,  also  a  peeled 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  479 

orange  cut  into  tiny  bits,  and  a  good  tablespoonful  of  minced 
pineapple.  Add  two  cupfuls  of  pounded  ice,  cover  the  pitcher, 
and  shake  hard  for  a  full  minute,  or  until  the  ingredients  are 
well  mixed.  Pour  in  a  pint  of  ice-water,  stir  for  a  minute,  and 
add  four  wineglassfuls  of  good  sherry  or  Catawba.  Stir  up  vig- 
orously, and  pour  out. 

Some  epicures  add  a  handful  of  strawberries  and  two  or  three 
slices  of  cucumber  to  the  cobbler. 

SAUTERNE  CUP. 

Put  four  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar  into  a  bowl,  strain  over  it 
five  tablespoonfuls  of  lemon-juice,  and  set  on  ice  for  an  hour. 
Stir  well  and  mix  into  the  syrup  a  tablespoonful  of  pineapple- 
dice,  a  handful  of  strawberries,  or  of  white  grapes,  seeded  and 
halved,  and  a  few  thin  slices  of  cucumber.  Empty  a  quart 
bottle  of  Sauterne  upon  the  mixture  ;  pour  over  a  block  of  ice 
into  a  punch-bowl,  and  add  a  bottle  of  soda-water  that  has  been 
on  the  ice  for  several  hours.  A  few  leaves  of  citron-aloes  or 
lemon-verbena  are  sometimes  laid  upon  the  surface  of  Sauterne 
Cup. 

EGG-NOGG. 

Beat  the  yolks  of  six  eggs  light,  and  then  with  them  half  a  cup- 
ful of  granulated  sugar ;  pour  upon  and  mix  with  them  a  quart 
of  milk;  mix  well  and  add  half  a  pint  of  fine  old  brandy. 
Finally,  whip  in  the  whites  of  three  eggs.  The  rest  of  the  whites 
must  be  beaten  to  a  meringue  with  a  tablespoonful  of  powdered 
sugar,  and  a  large  spoonful  laid  upon  the  surface  of  each  tumbler 
of  egg-nogg  as  it  is  poured  out. 

MILK   SHAKE. 

Put  a  teaspoonful  of  sugar  in  the  bottom  of  a  half-pint  tumbler 
and  pour  upon  it  milk  enough  to  fill  the  glass  to  within  an  inch 
of  the  top.  Stir  to  dissolve  the  sugar,  flavor  with  a  teaspoonful 
of  maraschino  or  other  liquor ;  put  a  tablespoonful  of  whipped 
cream  upon  the  surface  of  the  milk  ;  cover  the  tumbler  with  a 
piece  of  clean  white  paper,  put  your  hand  firmly  upon  it  to  pre- 


480  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

vent  the  escape  of  a  drop  of  milk,  and  shake  hard  up  and  down 
for  a  full  minute.  Grate  a  little  nutmeg  on  top  and  drink,  or 
serve.  It  is  nourishing  and  palatable  for  an  invalid. 

A  useful  utensil  for  shaking  the  milk  may  be  purchased  at 
house-furnishing  stores. 

WILD-CHERRY  BOUNCE. 

Pick  over  and  wash  wild  cherries  and  pack  in  small  glass  jars, 
strewing  sugar  over  each  layer  and  pounding  them  hard  with  a 
small  stick  to  bruise  them  and  allow  the  juice  to  escape.  Allow 
five  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar  to  each  quart  jar.  When  the  cher- 
ries and  sugar  are  well  mixed  and  fill  the  jar,  pour  in  as  much 
good  brandy  or  whiskey  as  can  find  room  for  itself  between  fruit 
and  sugar.  It  will  be  gradually  soaked  up.  Return  to  each  jar 
until  the  contents  of  all  are  saturated,  and  the  liquor  stands  on 
top.  Screw  on  covers,  and  do  not  trouble  yourself  to  think  of 
the  bounce  again  for  four  months.  Turn  out  the  contents  then 
into  a  bowl,  pound  and  crush  them  with  a  potato-beetle,  and 
strain  and  squeeze  a  cupful  at  a  time  through  a  coarse  cloth. 
You  have  now  a  fine  liquor,  palatable  and  highly  medicinal  as  a 
tonic  and  a  corrective  to  coughs.  The  liquor  will  improve  with 
age  and  keep  for  years. 


HOME-MADE  CANDIES. 

CHOCOLATE   CARAMELS. 

PUT  on  the  fire  in  a  saucepan  two  pounds  of  brown  sugar, 
half  a  pound  of  Baker's  Chocolate,  broken  into  small  pieces,  and  a 
small  cupful  of  cold  water.  Boil  this  until  a  little  of  it  hardens 
in  water,  stir  into  it  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  and  two  tea- 
spoonfuls  of  vanilla,  turn  into  buttered  pans  and  cut  into  squares. 
If  you  like  the  sugary,  soft  caramels,  stir  the  mixture  hard  for 
several  minutes  after  you  take  it  from  the  fire  ;  but  should  you 
prefer  the  sticky  variety,  add  four  tablespoonfuls  of  molasses  to 
your  sugar  when  you  put  it  on  to  cook,  and  do  not  stir  it  after  it 
leaves  the  stove. 

CHOCOLATE  CREAMS. 

To  the  white  of  an  egg,  mixed  with  as  much  water,  add 
enough  confectioner's  sugar  to  make  a  dough-like  paste  that  can 
be  worked  with  the  fingers  into  small  balls.  Grate  six  table- 
spoonfuls  of  sweetened  chocolate,  melt  it,  without  water,  in  a 
cup  on  the  stove,  and  when  smooth  and  thick  dip  your  balls  of 
sugar- paste  into  it  and  then  let  them  dry  on  waxed  paper.  They 
may  have  to  be  dipped  several  times  before  they  are  satisfactory. 

MAPLE-SUGAR  CANDY.    (No.  J.) 

Take  two  pounds  of  maple  sugar,  broken  into  small  pieces, 
and  put  it  in  a  saucepan  with  a  quart  of  rich  milk — part  cream  is 
better.  Let  this  boil  until  it  reaches  the  stage  where  it  hardens 
in  cold  water ;  pour  it  into  pans,  and  mark  it  in  squares  as  you 
would  taffy  or  caramels. 
3' 


482  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 


MAPLE-SUGAR  CANDY.    (No.  2.) 

One  pound  of  maple  sugar ;  one  pint  of  milk  ;  one  tablespoon  - 
ful  of  butter.  Break  the  sugar  into  small  pieces  and  put  it  into  a 
double  boiler  with  the  milk.  Put  it  on  the  stove  and  cook  until  the 
sugar  melts.  Set  the  inner  vessel  of  the  double  boiler  directly 
on  the  stove  and  boil,  stirring  constantly,  until  the  syrup  reaches 
the  stage  where  a  little  dropped  in  cold  water  becomes  brittle. 
Add  your  butter  then,  and  when  this  is  melted  turn  the  syrup 
into  greased  pans.  As  it  cools,  mark  it  off  in  squares  with  a 
knife. 

NOUGAT. 

The  simplest,  if  perhaps  the  least  scientific,  way  to  make  this 
is  the  following : 

Boil  together  a  pound  of  sugar  and  half  a  cupful  of  cold 
water  until  a  little  of  it  becomes  brittle  when  dropped  in  cold 
water.  Do  not  stir  it  after  the  sugar  melts.  Butter  a  shallow 
tin — a  biscuit-pan  will  answer — and  cover  the  bottom  closely 
with  blanched  almonds,  the  kernels  of  hickory,  pecan,  and 
hazel  nuts,  thin  strips  of  cocoanut,  split  and  stoned  dates, 
bits  of  figs,  etc.  When  the  candy  is  done  add  to  it  a  table- 
spoonful  of  lemon-juice,  and  pour  it  over  your  nuts  and  fruits. 
Mark  it  into  strips  or  squares  when  cool. 

FRENCH  BON-BONS. 

Make  a  paste  of  sugar  and  water  as  described  in  the  recipe  for 
Chocolate  Creams.  Divide  it  into  as  many  portions  as  you 
wish  flavors,  and  add  to  one  grated  and  melted  chocolate  to 
taste,  to  another  a  drop  or  two  of  essence  of  rose  and  a  little 
powdered  cochineal,  moistened  in  cold  water,  to  a  third  a  few 
drops  of  coffee  essence,  or  of  rum,  or  of  strawberry  or  other  fruit 
syrup.  Or  you  may  make  a  fondant  like  that  for  Boiled  Icing 
(see  recipe),  and  melting  that  over  boiling  water,  proceed  as 
directed  above  with  flavoring  and  coloring. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  483 


CREAM  PEPPERMINTS  OR  W4TERGREENS. 

Make  a  fondant  as  for  Boiled  Icing  (see  recipe),  stir  until  it 
begins  to  become  creamy,  and  drop  from  a  teaspoon  upon  waxed 
paper. 

MAPLE  CREAM. 

Proceed  as  in  preceding  recipe,  using  maple  sugar  instead  of 
the  plain  white  sugar. 

STUFFED  DATES. 

Remove  the  stone  and  put  in  its  place  a  bit  of  fondant,  or, 
better  still,  a  peanut  or  a  blanched  almond  and  dust  with  fine 

sugar. 


CANNED  FRUITS. 

THERE  is  a  general  opinion  that  "  canned  goods"  bought 
from  a  trustworthy  grocer  are  at  once  as  good  and  cheaper  than 
those  put  up  at  home.  This  is  a  great  mistake — quite  as  errone- 
ous as  the  idea  that  baker's  sponge  cake  is  the  same  article  as 
the  golden,  porous,  home-made  loaf,  composed  of  pure  sugar, 
fresh  eggs,  with  no  soda  and  no  ammonia. 

Much  of  the  general  prejudice  against  fruit  and  vegetables  put 
up  in  cans  is  consequent  upon  the  fact  that  many  housewives 
know  them  only  as  the  insipid  products  of  factories  that  line  the 
windows  of  the  corner  grocery.  But  even  with  this  class  there 
are  brands  and  brands.  Certain  houses  have  a  well-deserved 
reputation  for  putting  on  the  market  fruits  carefully  selected  and 
preserved  with  a  just  regard  to  quality  and  flavor. 

These  goods,  it  may  be  remarked,  are  never  cheap,  although 
they  may  be  well  worth  all  the  money  asked  for  them.  The 
housekeeper  of  moderate  means  considers  them  altogether  too 
expensive  for  family  use — perhaps 

Too  sweet  and  good 

For  human  nature's  daily  food, 

especially  when  the  boys  and  girls,  with  school-children's  appe- 
tites, will  consume  the  contents  of  a  large  can  at  one  repast, 
and  then,  like  the  glutton  of  nursery  rhyme,  complain  that  they 
have  not  yet  attained  the  end  of  their  capacity  in  that  line.  The 
mother  of  such  a  flock  is  forced  to  content  herself  with  what  she 
can  afford,  although  it  be  a  second-rate  article. 

It  does  not  occur  to  her  that,  unless  her  time  has  a  specific 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  48$ 

market  value,  and  her  strength  be  rated  according  to  the  same 
standard,  she  may  stock  the  pantries  in  the  fruit  season  with 
what  will  vie  with  the  finest  brands  offered  by  high-priced  gro- 
cers. 

To  many  people  the  very  mention  of  canned  goods  is  produc- 
tive of  a  disgustful  qualm — for  have  we  not  all  been  obliged  to 
partake  of  them,  or  at  least  been  expected  to  accept  them,  at 
summer  hotels  and  boarding-houses,  on  steamboats,  and  railroad 
trains,  where  they  furnish,  day  after  day,  the  chief  dessert  ? 

Peaches  and  apricots  thus  offered  have  the  same  faint,  sickly 
sweetness,  and  can  hardly  be  distinguished  the  one  from  the 
other,  while  berries  are  only  recognizable  among  the  larger 
fruits  by  their  shape  and  seeds.  The  only  use  to  which  these 
apologies  for  the  genuine  article  maybe  put  is  to  "doctor" 
them  for  pies  and  puddings,  and  even  then  they  will  be  much 
improved  by  being  boiled  down  and  sweetened  according  to 
taste. 

Before  proceeding  to  the  method  of  preparing  the  materials,  let 
us  consider  the  can  question.  Shall  it  be  tin  or  glass  ?  If  you 
ask  my  opinion  I  should  say  glass — decidedly.  Of  course  they 
are  more  expensive  in  the  beginning,  but  they  are  cheaper  in  the 
long  run,  for,  if  carefully  used  for  half  a  dozen  seasons,  when  the 
seventh  summer  approaches  they  are  still  there  and  ready  to  do 
service  again.  I  do  not  think  that  I  strain  a  point  in  saying 
that  there  is  no  place  on  this  broad,  green  earth  for  old  tin  cans. 
In  every  community,  from  the  tiny  hut  to  the  fashionable  sum- 
mer hotel,  from  the  crowded  tenement-house  to  the  palatial 
brown-stone  front,  the  tin  can  is  the  one  indestructible  piece  of 
rubbish.  The  scavenger  cart  is  loaded  with  them.  In  the  coun- 
try an  occasional  small  boy  uses  an  empty  "  tomayto  can  "  for 
"  worms  for  bait."  But  were  there  a  small  boy  for  every  old 
tin  can,  the  danger  predicted  by  Malthus  of  over-population 
would  be  imminent. 

There  is  a  popular  superstition  to  the  effect  that  this  blemish 
upon  the  fair  face  of  nature  is  an  article  of  diet  for  the  omnivo- 
rous goat,  but  while  we  do  not  question  his  capacity  to  acquire 


486  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

adipose  tissue  from  a  frugal  regimen  of  newspapers  and  old  shoes, 
we  doubt  if  even  his  digestive  juices  could  extract  nutriment 
from  the  tin  can. 

Let  us,  then,  refuse  to  make  use  of  the  plebeian  article,  and 
fasten  our  faith  to  the  quart  and  pint  glass  jars,  always  making 
sure  that  tops  and  rubbers  are  in  good  condition  and  laid  ready 
to  the  hand,  that  they  may  be  adjusted  the  very  second  the 
glasses  are  filled.  Do  not  attempt  to  use  the  same  rubbers  year 
after  year,  but  purchase  new  ones  each  season,  that  you  may  be 
sure  they  are  firm  and  strong,  and  will  preclude  all  air. 

In  canning  there  are  certain  principles  which  our  housewife 
should  bear  in  mind,  and  one  of  them  is  that  the  work  must  be  un- 
dertaken when  articles  to  be  put  up  are  at  the  height  of  the  season 
in  the  part  of  the  country  in  which  she  lives.  The  reasons  for 
this  are  self-evident,  as  then  the  fruit  is  not  forced,  but  has 
ripened  naturally,  and  has  not  been  bruised  by  transportation 
from  the  South,  and,  above  all,  is  fresh.  It  is  a  great  mistake  to 
think  of  buying  bruised  or  green  peaches,  apples,  etc.,  for  can- 
ning. They  may  be  cooked,  sweetened,  and  boiled  down  into 
marmalade  or  jellies,  but  for  present  purpose  your  fruit  must  be 
as  carefully  picked  as  if  intended  for  eating  from  the  hand. 

The  peeling  of  pears,  apples,  and  peaches  is  an  art  in  itself, 
and  should  be  performed  with  a  sharp  knife.  Handle  lightly, 
not  to  bruise,  and  throw  whole  fruits  into  ice-water  as  soon  as  the 
skin  is  removed,  and  peaches  when  they  are  halved  and  the 
stones  taken  out.  This  serves  to  retain  their  original  color  and 
prevents  the  unsightly  "  browning "  so  often  seen  when  this 
precaution  is  neglected. 

Plums  require  no  peeling,  but  they  must  be  carefully  selected, 
that  no  b&uised  ones  are  used. 

CANNED  PEACHES, 

To  each  quart  of  fruit  allow  a  heaping  tablespoonful  of  granu- 
lated sugar.  Pour  a  little  water  into  your  kettle  to  prevent  the 
contents  from  burning,  then  put  in  a  layer  of  peaches,  a  sprink- 
ling of  sugar,  another  layer  of  peaches,  more  sugar,  and  so  on 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  487 

until  the  kettle  is  full.     Bring  slowly  to  a  boil,  which  may  con- 
tinue for  three  minutes.     Can  and  seal. 


CANNED  PEARS  OR  APPLES. 

If  your  fruit  be  tough,  boil  it  in  water  uniil  tender.  But,  as  a 
rule,  this  is  unnecessary,  and  may  be  avoided  by  buying  tender 
fruit  to  begin  with.  Make  a  syrup  of  a  pint  of  water  and  a  quar- 
ter of  a  pound  of  sugar  for  every  quart  of  fruit.  When  this  is  hot, 
drain  the  cold  water  in  which  they  were  laid  after  peeling,  from 
the  pears  or  apples,  and  drop  them  carefully,  one  by  one,  into 
the  now  boiling  syrup,  and  cook  until  they  can  be  readily  pierced 
with  a  fork.  Your  cans,  meanwhile,  should  be  lying  in  hot 
water,  from  which  you  may  now  remove  them,  and  fill  them  with 
the  pears.  This  done,  pour  in  the  syrup  until  the  jars  are  full  to 
the  brim,  and  fit  on  the  tops  and  rubbers  immediately. 

CANNED  PLUMS. 

Twelve  quarts  of  greengage  plums  ;  one  pint  of  water ;  one 
pound  of  sugar.  Put  the  sugar  and  water  on  the  stove  in  the 
preserving  kettle.  Prick  each  plum  with  a  needle  to  prevent 
bursting,  and  as  soon  as  the  sugar  is  dissolved,  turn  the  fruit  into 
the  kettle.  Heat  very  slowly  to  a  boil,  and  cook  for  five  min- 
utes. Fill  the  jars  to  the  rims  with  the  plums  alone,  pour  over 
them  the  scalding  liquid  until  full  to  overflowing.  Purple  plums 
may  be  canned  in  the  same  way. 

CANNED  TOMATOES. 

Loosen  the  skins  from  your  tomatoes  by  pouring  boiling  water 
over  them,  when  you  may  easily  peel  them.  This  done,  drain  off 
all  the  liquid,  lay  them  gently,  not  to  break  them,  in  the  kettle, 
and  heat  to  the  boiling-point.  Take  them  from  the  stove  and 
rub  smooth  through  a  colander.  Return  to  the  fire,  boil  for  ten 
minutes,  drain  off  the  surplus  juice,  pack  the  tomatoes,  still  boil- 
ing hot,  into  the  cans,  fill  with  the  juice,  and  seal  immediately. 


488  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


CORN 

is  exceedingly  difficult  to  can,  and  is  so  likely  to  spoil  that  I  do 
not  give  directions  for  its  preparation.  But  it  may  be  put  up 
with  tomatoes,  according  to  the  following  recipe : 

CANNED  TOMATOES  AND  CORN. 

Boil  the  corn  on  the  cob  for  twenty  minutes,  and  cut  off  while 
hot.  Scald  the  skin  from  your  tomatoes,  and  rub  to  a  pulp.  To 
every  one  part  of  cut  corn  add  two  of  tomatoes.  Salt  to  taste, 
boil  hard  for  a  moment,  and  can.  Keep  in  a  cool,  dark  place. 


After  many  experiments  I  have  discovered  only  one  way  to 
prevent  the  accumulation  of  a  sticky  moisture  on  the  outside  of 
preserve  jars. 

In  the  first  place  the  housekeeper  must  herself  (no  hireling  will 
do  it  properly)  wash  each  jar  in  a  separate  water.  This  is 
troublesome  and  tedious,  but  well  worth  the  pains,  and  is  the 
only  way  to  have  the  glass  completely  clean.  Keep  your  cans 
in  a  closet  or  pantry  that  is  not  only  dark  and  cool,  but  through 
which  a  current  of  air  may  pass.  Ventilation  of  this  sort  is  the 
only  cure  for  the  condensation  of  moisture.  I  have  tried  keeping 
preserves  in  a  large,  dark,  cool  closet,  and  had  them  "  sweat ;  " 
while  in  a  room  in  which  there  was  a  door  and  a  window,  both 
of  which  were  frequently  thrown  open,  they  remained  clean  and 
dry.  M.  H. 

FRUIT  JELLIES. 

With  but  a  few  exceptions,  noted  below,  the  rule  for  all  fruit 
jellies  is  substantially  the  same.  The  directions  given,  if  fol- 
lowed closely,  cannot  fail  to  produce  a  clear,  sparkling  jelly.  If 
it  should  after  strict  adherence  to  the  recipe  prove  watery,  the 
fault  is  in  the  fruit,  not  in  the  method  or  the  maker.  Thin 
liquid  jellies  can  often  be  brought  to  greater  firmness  if  the  filled 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  489 

glasses  are  allowed  to  stand  in  the  hot  sun  for  a  season.  Some- 
times three  or  four  hours  will  suffice,  at  other  times  as  many  days 
may  be  required.  Not  until  the  jelly  is  at  least  comparatively 
firm  should  it  be  covered  with  waxed  or  brandied  tissue-paper, 
and  sealed  from  the  air. 

CURRANT  JELLY. 

Select  currants  that  are  not  over-ripe  for  this,  and  put  them 
into  a  stone  crock.  Set  it  in  an  outer  vessel  of  hot  water,  bring 
gradually  to  a  boil,  and  cook  until  the  fruit  is  so  broken  that 
the  jelly  flows  freely.  Squeeze  the  fruit,  a  small  amount  at 
a  time,  in  a  jelly-bag  or  fruit-press  and  measure  the  juice. 
Allow  to  each  pint  of  this  a  pound  of  white  sugar.  Place  the 
juice  on  the  fire  in  the  preserving  kettle  and  bring  rapidly  to  a 
boil.  Put  the  sugar  into  shallow  pans,  and  set  in  the  oven, 
stirring  occasionally  to  prevent  burning.  When  the  juice  has 
boiled  twenty  minutes,  skim  it,  turn  in  the  sugar,  stir  until  it 
has  dissolved  and  come  back  to  the  boil ;  boil  one  minute  and 
take  from  the  fire.  Fill  your  jelly-glasses  at  once,  setting  each 
on  a  wet  cloth  to  prevent  cracking.  A  spoon  placed  in  the 
glass  is  also  a  safeguard.  The  jelly  will  harden  quickly.  As 
soon  as  it  is  firm,  spread  the  top  with  brandied  tissue-paper,  and 
screw  on  the  cover. 

STRAWBERRY,  BLACKBERRY,  AND  GRAPE  JELLY 

may  be  made  by  the  same  recipe. 

CRAB-APPLE  JELLY. 

Quarter,  without  peeling  or  coring,  ripe  crab-apples.  Put 
on  the  stove  in  a  preserving  kettle  and  allow  them  to  heat 
slowly.  If  the  apples  are  very  dry  you  may  add  a  little  water, 
not  quite  enough  to  cover  the  fruit.  Boil  slowly  until  the 
apples  are  tender  and  broken  to  pieces.  Put  it  into  a  flannel 
bag,  a  little  at  a  time,  and  allow  the  juice  to  drop  through. 
Squeezing  the  pulp  will  make  the  jelly  cloudy.  Measure  the 
juice  and  proceed  exactly  as  with  currant  jelly. 


49°  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

APPLE  JELLY 
may  be  made  by  the  same  recipe  from  any  tart,  juicy  apple. 

PEACH  JELLY 

This  is  made  like  apple  jelly,  except  that  the  stones  are  re- 
moved, a  dozen  or  so  of  them  cracked,  and  the  kernels  of  these 
added  to  the  stewing  fruit.  When  the  liquid  is  strained  and 
measured,  add  a  tablespoonful  of  lemon-juice  to  each  pint  of  the 
jelly  and  then  proceed  as  with  other  jellies,  allowing,  as  usual,  a 
pound  of  sugar  to  a  pint  of  the  juice. 

QUINCE  JELLY 

may  be  made  like  apple  jelly,  although  a  commoner  and  more 
economical  fashion  is  to  use  only  the  peelings  and  cores  for  this 
purpose,  reserving  the  choice  parts  of  the  fruit  for  preserving. 

FRUIT-JAMS,  MARMALADES,  ETC 

RASPBERRY  JAM. 

Six  pounds  of  berries ;  four  and  one-half  pounds  of  sugar. 

Crush  the  berries  with  a  wooden  spoon,  and  put  pulp  and 
juice  in  a  preserving  kettle.  After  they  boil,  cook  steadily  half 
an  hour,  stirring  often.  Add  the  sugar,  cook  twenty  minutes 
longer,  and  put  boiling  hot  into  jars.  If  there  is  a  great  deal  of 
juice,  dip  out  part  of  it,  and  make  jelly  of  it  or  reserve  it  for 
raspberry  vinegar.  Either  black  or  red  raspberries  may  be  used 
for  this,  but  the  latter  are  especially  delicious. 

BLACKBERRY  OR  STRAWBERRY  JAM 

may  be  made  by  the  same  recipe. 

GOOSEBERRY  JAM. 

Six  pounds  of  ripe  gooseberries  ;  four  pounds  of  sugar. 

Stem  and  top  the  gooseberries,  and  boil  one  hour  in  a  pre- 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  491 

serving  kettle,  watching  closely  that  the  fruit  does  not  scorch. 
Stir  often.  If  the  juice  increases  very  rapidly,  dip  out  some  of 
it.  When  the  fruit  has  boiled  an  hour  add  the  sugar,  and  cook 
an  hour  longer.  Put  the  jam  boiling  hot  into  glass  tumblers  or 
small  jars  and  seal.  The  extra  juice  from  this  makes  a  delicious 
tart  jelly,  almost  equal  to  currant  for  serving  with  meats  and 
game. 

DAMSON  JAM. 

Stone  damsons,  weigh  them,  and  stew  for  twenty  minutes. 
Add  then  half  a  pound  of  sugar  for  every  pound  of  fruit  and 
cook  together  slowly  an  hour  longer,  or  until  the  jam  is  of  the 
desired  consistency.  Put  up  hot  in  small  jars. 

PEACH  MARMALADE. 

To  each  pound  of  the  peeled  and  stoned  peaches  allow  three- 
quarters  of  a  pound  of  sugar.  Put  the  fruit  on  by  itself  and  let 
it  heat  slowly,  stirring  frequently,  that  it  may  not  burn.  When 
it  has  boiled  three-quarters  of  an  hour  add  the  sugar  and  boil  five 
minutes,  skimming  constantly.  To  every  two  pounds  of  fruit 
add  then  the  kernels  of  half  a  dozen  peach-stones,  chopped  fine, 
and  the  juice  of  a  lemon.  Cook  ten  minutes  longer  and  put  in 
small  jars  or  jelly -glasses. 

APRICOT  MARMALADE 
may  be  made  by  the  same  recipe  as  Peach  Marmalade. 

ORANGE  MARMALADE. 

Slice  very  thin  and  seed  twenty-four  small,  well  -  flavored 
oranges,  or  twelve  large  ones,  and  two  lemons.  Measure,  and  if 
there  is  less  than  six  pints  of  juice,  add  enough  water  to  reach 
this  amount.  Some  persons  consider  that  it  improves  the  flavor 
of  the  marmalade  to  slice  one  grape-fruit  with  this  number  of 
oranges.  Let  the  fruit  stand  in  a  covered  earthen  jar  or  bowl 
for  several  hours  or  overnight.  Heat  it  slowly  in  a  preserving 


492  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

kettle  and  simmer  gently  until  the  orange-peel  is  tender.  Stir  in 
then  six  pounds  of  granulated  sugar  (this  is  allowing  a  pound  of 
the  sugar  to  a  pint  of  the  juice)  and  boil  until  the  skin  looks 
clear  and  the  marmalade  is  jelly-like.  Test  it  by  cooling  a  little 
in  a  saucer  to  see  if  it  has  reached  the  right  stage.  Let  it  cool 
before  putting  it  up  in  glasses  as  you  would  jelly. 

SPICED  CURRANTS. 

Five  pounds  of  stemmed  currants;  four  pounds  of  sugar;  one 
pint  of  vinegar ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  cloves ;  two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  cinnamon. 

Put  on  the  fire  together  and  cook  half  an  hour  after  they  come 
to  a  boil.  Put  up  in  jars  or  jelly -glasses. 

SPICED   CHERRIES. 

Stem  and  stone  the  cherries  before  weighing  them  and  pro- 
ceed as  with  Spiced  Currants. 

SPICED  GRAPES. 

Pulp  and  seed  the  grapes  before  weighing  and  prepare  by  the 
recipe  given  for  Spiced  Currants. 

SPICED  TOMATOES. 

Seven  pounds  of  peeled  and  sliced  tomatoes  ;  four  pounds  of 
granulated  sugar ;  one  ounce  each  of  whole  cloves,  cinnamon, 
and  allspice  ;  half  a  nutmeg,  grated  ;  one  pint  of  vinegar. 

Boil  the  vinegar  and  spice  together  for  ten  minutes,  put  in  the 
tomatoes,  and  cook  slowly  until  the  mixture  is  thick.  Keep  in 
sealed  jars. 

SPICED  CANTELOPES. 

These  may  be  made  by  the  same  recipe.  The  cantelope  must 
be  cut  into  strips  and  the  seeds  and  rind  removed  before  it  is 
weighed.  It  must  cook  in  the  spiced  vinegar  until  tender  enough 
to  be  pierced  with  a  straw. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  493 


PRESERVED  FRUITS* 

For  some  years  it  seemed  as  though  canned  fruits  would  event- 
ually supersede  preserves.  Their  novelty  tickled  the  fancy  of 
many  people,  and  to  others  the  cheapness  of  canning  and  the 
small  amount  of  labor  it  involved  as  compared  with  the  lengthy 
process  of  preserving,  commended  the  simpler  operation.  The 
old-fashioned  "  pound-for-pound  "  preserves  were  seen  only  on 
the  shelves  of  the  Women's  Exchanges,  where  they  found  a  mar- 
ket among  a  limited  class  of  dainty-lovers,  and  on  the  table  of 
the  conservative  housewife  (generally  a  Southern  woman)  who 
preferred  "  good  old  ways  "  of  cooking  to  any  innovations. 

Of  late,  canned  fruits  have  rather  declined  in  popularity. 
They  have  become  too  cheap  to  be  a  luxury,  and  even  those 
whose  voices  were  at  first  loudest  in  their  praise  are  forced  to 
own  that  the  canned  fruits  are  insipid  compared  with  those  pre- 
served in  a  rich  syrup.  The  latter  are  undoubtedly  more  costly 
and  more  difficult  to  prepare.  On  the  other  hand,  they  are 
eaten  less  freely  than  canned  fruit,  and  there  can  be  no  question 
that  they  are  infinitely  more  agreeable  to  the  palate. 

In  the  recipes  given  below  there  has  been  no  effort  at  a  com- 
promise with  economy.  Good  preserves  are  always  expensive, 
and  those  who  desire  the  luxury  of  having  them  upon  their  tables 
must  be  prepared  to  pay  for  it. 

PRESERVED  PEACHES. 

Peel  and  stone  firm  white  peaches,  and  weigh  them.  To  each 
pound  of  the  fruit  allow  a  pound  of  granulated  sugar.  Spread  a 
layer  of  this  on  the  bottom  of  a  preserving  kettle,  cover  it  with 
a  layer  of  fruit  and  proceed  with  sugar  and  fruit  in  alternate 
strata  until  all  are  used  up.  Put  the  kettle  at  the  side  of  the 
stove  where  it  will  heat  slowly.  A  pleasant  flavor  is  given  by 
straining  into  the  sugar,  when  it  is  melted,  a  small  cupful  of 
water  in  which  have  been  steeped  and  boiled  the  crushed  kernels 
of  two  dozen  peach-stones. 


494  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

Let  the  peaches  stew  in  the  syrup  until  they  are  clear  and  ten- 
der— half  an  hour  should  suffice — take  them  out  with  a  perforated 
skimmer,  and  lay  on  flat  dishes,  arranging  them  so  that  they  will 
not  crowd  one  another.  Let  the  syrup  boil  fast  for  fifteen  min- 
utes, or  until  clear  and  thick,  skimming  it  frequently.  Fill  wide- 
mouthed  jars  nearly  full  of  the  peaches,  pour  in  the  boiling  syrup, 
and  close  the  jars. 

PRESERVED  APRICOTS. 
Put  up  by  the  same  recipe  as  Preserved  Peaches. 

PRESERVED  PEARS. 

Peel  without  stemming  the  pears,  and  proceed  as  with  Pre- 
served Peaches. 

PRESERVED  PLUMS. 

Select  firm  and  perfect  plums,  prick  each  with  a  large  needle, 
and  weigh  the  fruit.  Allow  a  pound  of  sugar  and  a  pint  of 
water  to  a  pound  of  fruit,  and  make  a  syrup  of  the  sugar  and 
water.  Let  this  boil  until  it  is  clear,  removing  all  the  scum  that 
rises  to  the  surface.  When  the  syrup  is  quite  clear  drop  in  the 
plums,  putting  in  only  as  many  as  the  kettle  can  easily  hold,  and 
cook  twenty  minutes.  Remove  with  a  perforated  skimmer  and 
spread  out  in  plates  to  cool.  Proceed  thus  with  each  kettleful 
until  all  are  done.  Put  the  plums  in  small  jars,  pour  over  them 
the  boiling  syrup,  and  seal. 

Greengages,  purple,  red,  and  yellow  plums  may  be  put  up  by 
this  recipe. 

PRESERVED  QUINCES. 

Peel,  core,  and  quarter  firm  quinces,  weigh  them,  and  put  them 
in  a  preserving  kettle  with  barely  water  enough  to  cover  them 
and  stew  slowly  until  they  are  soft.  Before  they  begin  to  break 
take  them  out  with  a  perforated  spoon  and  lay  the  pieces  care- 
fully, side  by  side,  upon  flat  dishes.  To  the  liquor  left  in  the  ket- 
tle add  a  pound  of  sugar  for  each  pound  of  the  fruit.  Bring  it  to 
a  boil,  skim  it,  and  when  it  has  boiled  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes, 
put  in  the  quinces.  Cook  fifteen  minutes  after  the  syrup  again 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  '  495 

boils,  and  proceed  as  with  preserved  peaches.     The  skins  and 
cores  of  the  quinces  make  excellent  jelly. 

PRESERVED  PINEAPPLE. 

Pare,  core,  cut  into  slices,  and  proceed  as  with  Preserved 
Peaches. 

PRESERVED  WATERMELON  OR  CITRON  RIND. 

Remove  the  green  outer  peel  of  the  melon,  and  scrape  away 
the  soft  inner  part.  Cut  the  rind  into  strips  or  fancy  "  shapes  " 
and  steam  it  for  three  hours  in  a  closely  covered  preserving  kettle, 
lining  this  and  covering  the  rind  with  grape-leaves  (if  you  can 
get  them).  In  any  case  scatter  a  little  powdered  alum  over  each 
layer  of  citron.  Two  teaspoonfuls  will  be  enough  for  the  whole 
kettleful.  There  should  be  enough  water  put  in  to  just  cover 
the  rind. 

When  this  has  steamed  for  three  hours,  take  it  out  and  throw 
it  at  once  into  very  cold  water.  Let  it  soak  for  four  hours, 
changing  the  water  four  times. 

Make  a  syrup  of  a  quart  of  water  and  two  pounds  and  a  half 
of  granulated  sugar,  boiling  and  skimming  it  until  the  scum 
ceases  to  rise.  When  it  reaches  this  point  drop  in  the  rind  and 
let  it  simmer  until  tender  enough  to  be  pierced  with  a  straw. 
Take  it  out  with  a  skimmer,  spread  it  out  on  flat  dishes,  and  let  it 
stand  in  the  sun  for  a  couple  of  hours.  Add  to  the  syrup  a  small 
lemon,  sliced,  and  a  little  sliced  green  ginger-root  for  every 
pound  of  the  rind,  boil  the  syrup  for  about  ten  minutes  and  set 
it  aside.  When  the  rind  is  cool  put  it  in  the  jars,  let  the  syrup 
come  to  a  boil  and  pour  it  over  the  rind.  Seal  when  it  is  cool. 

PRESERVED  CHERRIES. 

For  this  select  sour  cherries — the  morellos,  if  you  can  get 
them.  To  every  pound  of  stoned  cherries  allow  a  pound  of 
sugar.  Lose  none  of  the  juice.  Arrange  fruit  and  sugar  in  al- 
ternate layers  in  an  agate-iron  or  porcelain-lined  preserving 
kettle  ;  let  it  stand  an  hour  or  two  to  draw  out  the  juice ;  then 


496  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

put  it  over  the  fire,  and  boil  slowly  and  steadily  until  the  juice 
thickens.  Put  up  the  preserves  in  small  glass  jars  and  keep  in  a 
dark  closet. 

PRESERVED  CHERRIES. 

German  Mode. 

Stone  tart  cherries,  preserving  all  the  juice.  Weigh  the  fruit, 
and  to  every  pound  of  this  allow  one  of  granulated  sugar.  Put 
the  sugar  into  the  preserving  kettle  with  the  cherry-juice,  and  cook 
slowly  until  the  sugar  is  entirely  dissolved,  when  the  fruit  must 
be  added.  Cook  this  just  five  minutes,  spread  fruit  and  syrup 
out  on  broad  platters  and  set  them  in  the  hot  sun.  Cover  each 
platter  with  a  pane  of  window-glass  or  with  netting  and  let  them 
have  the  full  benefit  of  the  sun's  rays  for  three  or  four  days,  or 
until  the  fruit  is  thick  and  rich.  Put  up  in  jelly-glasses  or  pre- 
serve jars. 

PRESERVED  STRAWBERRIES  OR   RASPBERRIES 

may  be  put  up  by  either  of  the  preceding  recipes,  using  a  little 
water  to  moisten  the  sugar  in  place  of  the  juice  procured  from 
the  stoned  cherries. 

BRANDED  PEACHES. 

One  quart  of  best  white  brandy  ;  six  pounds  of  white  sugar ; 
eight  pounds  of  peaches  (peeled)  ;  three  cupfuls  of  water.  Put 
water  and  sugar  together  on  the  fire  and  bring  to  a  boil.  Drop 
in  the  peaches  and  simmer  fifteen  minutes  after  the  syrup  begins 
to  boil  again.  Take  out  the  peaches  with  a  perforated  skimmer 
and  pack  them  in  quart  glass  jars.  After  they  are  all  out  let  the 
syrup  boil  fifteen  minutes,  add  the  brandy,  and  pour  this  boiling 
liquor  over  the  peaches  in  the  jars.  Seal  these  and  keep  them 
in  a  dark  place. 

They  will  be  ready  for  the  table  in  about  six 

BRANDED  APRICOTS 

are  put  up  by  the  same  recipe  as  Brandied  Peaches. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  497 

BRANDED  PEARS. 

Put  up  in  the  same  manner  as  Brandied  Peaches,  selecting 
firm  Bartlett  pears  of  uniform  size,  and  paring  them  carefully,  so 
as  to  keep  the  shape  of  the  fruit.  Do  not  remove  the  stems. 

BRANDIED  PLUMS. 

Proceed  as  with  Brandied  Peaches,  pricking  the  plums  instead 
of  peeling  them. 

BRANDIED  PINEAPPLES. 

Peel  the  pineapple,  remove  the  eyes  and  tear  the  fruit  from 
the  core  with  a  fork,  or  cut  it  into  dice.  Pack  self-sealing  jars 
with  the  fruit,  allowing  four  heaping  tablespoon fu Is  of  granulated 
sugar  to  each  jar,  and  sprinkling  it  on  each  layer  of  pineapple. 
When  the  jars  are  filled,  pour  in  white  preserving  brandy  slowly, 
allowing  it  to  filter  through  the  fruit  and  sugar,  until  the  jars 
can  hold  no  more.  Screw  down  the  tops,  keep  the  jars  in  a 
dark  place,  and  let  it  season  some  weeks  before  using. 

BRANDIED  STRAWBERRIES. 

Cap  fine  fresh  strawberries  and  proceed  with  them  as  with  the 
Brandied  Pineapple. 

BRANDIED   CHERRIES,  RASPBERRIES,  OR  BLACKBERRIES 

may  be  prepared  in  the  same  way. 
32 


PICKLES. 

EXCELLENT  pickles  may  now  be  purchased  from  first-class 
grocers.  Still  better  may  be  ordered  from  Women's  Exchanges, 
or  from  some  of  the  many  housekeepers  in  reduced  circum- 
stances who  earn  an  honorable  living  by  preparing  kitchen 
dainties  for  sale.  In  spite  of  all  these  facilities,  there  is  a  goodly 
number  of  homes  beyond  their  reach,  and  there  are  others  whose 
inmates  prefer  the  pickles  made  by  themselves  to  any  they  can 
buy.  The  home-made  pickles  possess  the  advantage  of  cheap- 
ness, unless  the  maker's  time  is  of  money  value.  The  cost  of  the 
materials  is  comparatively  slight. 

GHERKIN  OR  SMALL  CUCUMBER  PICKLES. 

Select  firm  small  gherkins,  the  smaller  the  better.  None 
should  be  more  than  three  inches  in  length.  Lay  them  smoothly, 
with  alternate  layers  of  salt,  in  a  large  earthenware  crock,  and  after 
putting  on  the  top  coat  of  salt,  pour  in  enough  cold  water  to  cover 
all.  Keep  the  pickles  from  floating  by  laying  a  weighted  plate 
on  top  of  them.  Leave  the  pickles  in  brine  for  at  least  ten  days, 
stirring  them  from  the  bottom  every  other  day.  When  they 
have  lain  in  the  brine  for  the  appointed  time,  pour  it  off  and 
pick  over  the  gherkins,  throwing  away  those  that  have  softened, 
and  let  the  firm  ones  soak  two  days  in  fresh  water,  changing  this 
once. 

To  green  the  pickles,  line  your  kettle,  which  should  be  of  agate- 
iron-ware,  or  porcelain-lined,  with  grape-leaves,  and  arrange  the 
gherkins  in  it  in  layers,  scattering  a  pinch  of  powdered  alum  over 
each  layer.  A  heaping  teaspoonful  is  sufficient  for  a  large  kettle- 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  499 

ful.  Cover  the  pickles  with  cold  water,  spread  a  triple  thick- 
ness of  grape-leaves  over  them,  put  on  a  closely  fitting  cover,  and 
steam  the  pickles  over  a  slow  fire  for  six  hours.  The  water  must 
not  boil.  By  the  end  of  this  time  the  pickles  should  be  well- 
greened  and  should  be  thrown  into  very  cold  water.  While  they 
are  becoming  firm  and  crisp,  four  quarts  of  vinegar,  one  cupful 
of  sugar,  three  dozen  whole  cloves,  three  dozen  black  peppers, 
eighteen  whole  allspice,  and  twelve  blades  of  mace  may  be  boiled 
together  for  five  minutes.  The  gherkins,  drained  from  the  water, 
may  then  be  put  into  jars,  the  scalding  vinegar  poured  over  them 
and  the  jar  closely  covered.  The  pickles  should  be  kept  in  a  cel- 
lar or  a  cool,  dark  closet.  They  will  be  ready  for  use  in  about  two 
months. 

STRING  BEANS 
may  be  pickled  like  Gherkins. 

SLICED  CUCUMBER  PICKLES. 

Slice  twenty-four  good-sized  cucumbers,  put  them  into  a  pre- 
serving kettle  with  enough  vinegar  to  cover  them  and  boil  them 
for  an  hour.  Let  them  stand  in  the  hot  vinegar  while  you  pre- 
pare the  following  pickle : 

One  cupful  of  sugar ;  one  teaspoonful,  each,  of  mace,  allspice, 
and  cloves;  one  tablespoonful,  each,  of  sliced  garlic,  ground 
horse-radish,  cinnamon,  ginger,  celery  seed,  black  pepper,  and 
turmeric,  and  a  half  teaspoonful  of  cayenne  ;  one  gallon  of  cider 
vinegar.  Into  this  put  the  sliced  cucumbers,  simmer  two  hours, 
and  put  into  jars. 

PICKLED  ONIONS. 

Select  small  white  onions  of  nearly  uniform  size,  peel  them,  and 
put  them  into  strong  brine.  Leave  them  in  this  four  days,  make 
fresh  brine,  heat  it  to  scalding,  put  in  the  onions  and  boil  three 
minutes.  Drain,  pour  cold  water  on  them,  and  set  aside  for 
six  hours.  Drain  again,  put  them  into  jars  and  pour  over  them 
scalding  spiced  vinegar,  prepared  as  directed  in  recipe  for  Pickled 
Gherkins.  They  should  ripen  for  two  months  before  using. 


5OO  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

PICKLED  CAULIFLOWER. 

Cut  firm  white  cauliflowers  into  tiny  clusters,  and  boil  them 
three  minutes  in  scalding  brine.  Take  them  out,  drain,  put  them 
into  a  jar  with  cold  vinegar,  and  let  them  stand  in  this  two  days. 
Turn  this  off,  arrange  the  clusters  in  jars,  and  pour  over  them  the 
following  spiced  vinegar : 

One  gallon  of  vinegar ;  one  cupful  of  sugar ;  one  tablespoon- 
ful,  each,  of  celery  seed,  coriander  seed,  mustard  seed,  and  whole 
white  peppers,  twelve  blades  of  mace,  and  a  small  red  pepper, 
sliced.  These  should  boil  together  five  minutes  before  putting 
the  mixture  upon  the  cauliflower. 

PICKLETTE. 

One  large  cabbage,  peeled  and  chopped ;  six  large  white 
onions  peeled  and  chopped.  Arrange  these  in  a  large  crock  in 
alternate  thicknesses,  sprinkling  a  little  salt  on  each  layer,  and  leave 
them  thus  twenty-four  hours.  The  next  day  add  to  a  pint  of 
vinegar  half  a  pound  of  brown  sugar,  a  heaping  teaspoonful  each 
of  powdered  alum,  turmeric,  ground  cinnamon,  allspice,  mace, 
black  pepper,  mustard,  and  celery  seed,  and  heat  all  to  boiling. 
Pour  these  over  the  cabbage  and  onion,  let  it  stand  twenty-four 
hours,  drain  off  the  vinegar,  heat  it  again  to  boiling,  and  pour 
it  over  the  cabbage.  Repeat  the  process  three  successive  morn- 
ings. On  the  fourth,  put  all  together  into  the  kettle,  boil  five 
minutes,  and  when  cold  pack  in  small  jars. 

PICKLED  CHERRIES. 

For  every  quart  of  the  fruit  allow  a  half-pint  of  vinegar ;  two 
tablespoon fuls  of  white  sugar  ;  twelve  whole  cloves,  and  six  blades 
of  mace,  and  put  all  but  the  cherries  on  to  heat  together.  When 
they  have  boiled  ten  minutes,  set  them  aside  .to  cool.  Have 
ready  small  jars,  fill  them  nearly  full  of  cherries,  strain  the  cold 
vinegar  over  them,  and  seal  the  jars. 

Large  tart  cherries  are  best  for  pickling.  They  should  be  very 
fresh  and  need  not  be  stemmed. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  5OI 

PICKLED   CABBAGE. 

Cut  the  outer  leaves  from  white  cabbages,  quarter,  put  them 
into  a  pot  of  scalding  water,  and  boil  three  minutes.  Drain,  cover 
thickly  with  salt,  let  the  cabbages  dry  in  the  sun,  shake  the  salt 
from  them,  and  cover  them  in  cold  vinegar  in  which  has  been 
steeped  a  tablespoonful  of  turmeric.  They  should  lie  in  this  two 
weeks.  At  the  end  of  the  time  pack  the  cabbages  in  jars,  and 
cover  with  a  seasoned  vinegar  prepared  as  follows  : 

One  gallon  of  vinegar  ;  one  pound  of  sugar  ;  two  tablespoon- 
fuls,  each,  of  white  mustard-seed,  ginger,  and  black  pepper-corns  ; 
one  tablespoonful,  each,  of  cloves,  celery-seed,  minced  garlic,  and 
grated  horse-radish ;  one  teaspoonful,  each,  of  allspice  and  mace  ; 
one  sliced  lemon. 

Pound  the  spices  fine,  and  boil  the  mixture  five  minutes  be- 
fore pouring  it  on  the  cabbage.  This  will  not  be  fit  for  use  un- 
der a  couple  of  months. 

ENGLISH  CHOW-CHOW. 

One  cauliflower  ;  one-half  pint  of  string  beans  ;  six  green  to- 
matoes, sliced  ;  one  pint  of  tiny  cucumbers  ;  two  medium-sized 
cucumbers,  sliced  ;  one-half  pint  of  small  onions ;  four  small 
long  red  peppers. 

Nasturtium  seeds  and  radish  pods  may  be  added,  if  desired. 

Cut  the  cauliflower  into  small  clusters,  and  peel  the  onions. 
Place  a  layer  of  the  vegetables  in  a  wide-mouthed  stone  jar,  and 
sprinkle  thickly  with  salt.  Over  this  lay  more  vegetables,  cov- 
ering these,  too,  with  salt,  and  continue  thus  until  your  supply  is 
exhausted.  Pour  on  enough  cold  water  to  cover  all,  keeping  the 
pickles  from  floating  by  pressing  down  over  them  a  plate  or  a 
disk  of  wood,  and  weighting  this  with  a  flat-iron.  Let  the  jar 
remain  undisturbed  for  three  days  ;  then  drain  off  the  brine, 
wash  the  pickles  in  pure  water,  cover  them  again — this  time  with 
fresh  water — and  let  them  lie  in  this  twenty-four  hours. 

Thus  far  the  process  has  been  the  same  with  that  followed  for 
several  varieties  of  sour  pickles,  such  as  the  ordinary  mixed 


502  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

pickle,  gherkin  pickle,  onion,  or  cabbage  pickle,  etc.  But  in 
making  English  chow-chow  there  is  no  need  of  "  greening  "  the 
pickle,  and  so  one  tiresome  process  is  avoided. 

Prepare  the  vinegar  as  follows : 

One  gallon  of  vinegar ;  one  teaspoonful  of  whole  black  pep- 
pers ;  one  teaspoonful  of  whole  cloves  ;  two  teaspoonfuls  of  tur- 
meric ;  one  teaspoonful  of  celery-seed  ;  one  teaspoonful  of  white 
mustard-seed  ;  one  teaspoonful  of  whole  mace  ;  one  teaspoonful 
of  grated  horse-radish  ;  one  cupful  and  a  half  of  brown  sugar ; 
three  tablespoonfuls  of  ground  mustard.  Bring  the  vinegar  and 
condiments  to  a  boil,  and  drop  in  the  pickles,  taking  care  that 
none  of  them  are  soft  or  decayed.  Simmer  five  minutes,  remove 
the  pickles  with  a  perforated  skimmer,  lay  them  in  a  stone  jar, 
and  pour  the  scalding  vinegar  over  them.  Leave  them  in  this 
for  forty-eight  hours.  Then  drain  the  vinegar  off,  return  it  to 
the  kettle,  and  add  to  it  a  tablespoonful  of  curry  powder.  When 
the  vinegar  boils,  pour  it  over  the  pickles  in  the  crock,  let  them 
stand  until  cold,  then  put  into  wide-mouthed  bottles  or  small 
jars,  and  seal.  This  pickle  must  ripen  two  or  three  weeks  before 
it  will  be  ready  for  the  table. 

SOUTHERN  CHOW-CHOW. 

Proceed  in  salting,  etc.,  as  directed  for  English  chow-chow, 
substituting  sliced  green  peppers  for  string-beans,  omitting  the 
onions  and  increasing  the  quantity  of  green  tomatoes ;  sliced 
white  cabbage  may  also  be  added.  The  mixture  of  vinegar, 
spices,  etc.,  is  the  same,  except  that  the  ground  mustard,  tur- 
meric, and  curry  powder  are  left  out.  Vinegar,  spices,  and 
vegetables  are  all  boiled  together  for  half  an  hour,  then  allowed 
to  cool,  and  put  up  in  air-tight  jars. 

GREEN  TOMATO  SOY, 

Four  quarts  of  green  tomatoes  ;  six  onions ;  one  pound  of 
sugar  ;  one  quart  of  vinegar  ;  one  tablespoonful,  each,  of  ground 
mustard,  ground  black  pepper,  and  salt ;  one  half  tablespoonful, 
each,  of  allspice  and  cloves. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  503 

Put  all  together  in  a  preserving  kettle  and  stew,  stirring  often, 
until  tender.  Put  into  glass  jars  and  seal. 

Like  most  other  pickles  this  is  better  when  it  is  over  a  month 
old. 

PICKLED  WALNUTS. 

These  must  be  gathered  while  young  and  green,  and  belaid  in 
strong  brine.  Leave  them  in  this  for  a  week,  changing  it  every 
other  day.  Take  them  out,  dry  them  between  two  cloths,  and 
pierce  each  with  a  large  needle.  Throw  them  into  cold  water  and 
leave  them  several  hours  before  packing  them  in  small  jars  and 
pouring  over  them  scalding-hot  seasoned  vinegar  prepared  like 
that  for  Pickled  Gherkins. 

Not  good  under  two  months. 

PICKLED  BUTTERNUTS 

may  be  put  up  by  the  preceding  recipe. 

PICKLED  MANGOES. 

Select  small  muskmelons,  cut  a  small  round  opening  in  each 
at  the  stem  end,  and  through  this  remove  the  seeds,  saving 
the  piece  cut  out  to  replace  when  the  mango  is  stuffed.  Make 
a  strong  brine,  putting  in  as  much  salt  as  the  water  will  take, 
and  let  the  melons  lie  in  this  for  three  days.  Lay  them  then  in 
fresh  water  for  twenty-four  hours.  Green  the  melons  according 
to  the  directions  given  in  Pickled  Gherkins,  and  lay  them  again 
in  cold  water.  When  chilled  and  firm  take  them  out,  drain 
them,  and  fill  with  a  stuffing  made  by  mixing  together  four 
tablespoon fuls  of  English  mustard-seed  with  two  of  grated  horse- 
radish, one  teaspoonful,  each,  of  chopped  garlic,  celery -seed, 
whole  pepper-corns,  ground  mace,  and  white  sugar  ;  half  a  tea- 
spoonful,  each,  of  ground  mustard  and  ground  ginger,  and  two 
teaspoonfuls  of  salad  oil.  When  the  stuffing  is  all  in,  replace  the 
pieces  cut  out  and  tie  them  in  place  with  soft  cords.  Pack 
the  melons  in  a  stone  crock,  pour  scalding  vinegar  over  them, 
and  set  away  in  a  cool,  dark  place.  They  will  require  at  least 
four  months  to  ripen. 


504  THE   NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 


PEPPER  MANGOES. 

Select  full-grown  green  peppers  that  have  not  begun  to  red- 
den, extract  the  seeds  with  a  pen-knife  or  a  long-handled  coffee- 
spoon,  as  they  burn  the  ringers  cruelly.  Proceed  as  with  the 
Pickled  Mangoes. 

SWEET  PICKLES* 

PICKLED  PEACHES   (PEELED). 

Peel  firm  white  peaches,  weigh  them,  and  to  every  pound  of 
the  fruit  allow  half  a  pound  of  sugar.  Place  this  and  the  fruit 
in  a  preserving  kettle  in  alternate  layers.  Bring  slowly  to  a  boil. 
To  every  six  pounds  of  fruit  allow  one  pint  of  vinegar.  To  this 
add  a  tablespoonful,  each,  of  ground  mace,  cinnamon,  and  cloves, 
mixing  them  and  dividing  them  into  three  portions.  Tie  each 
up  in  a  bit  of  thin  muslin.  Put  the  spices  into  the  vinegar,  pour 
this  upon  the  peaches,  and  boil  five  minutes.  At  the  end  of  this 
time  remove  the  fruit  and  spread  it  upon  a  flat  dish,  boil  the 
syrup  fifteen  minutes,  or  until  thick,  put  into  glass  jars  with  the 
fruit,  pour  the  boiling  syrup  upon  it  and  seal. 

PICKLED  PEACHES   (UNPEELED). 

Select  peaches  of  uniform  size,  and  after  rubbing  off  the  down 
with  a  coarse  cloth,  like  a  crash  towel,  prick  each  with  a  fork. 
Weigh  and  put  them  into  a  preserving  kettle  with  just  enough 
water  to  cover  them,  and  let  them  become  scalding  hot.  Just 
before  they  reach  the  boil  remove  them  from  the  kettle  and  add 
sugar  to  the  water  in  the  proportion  of  three  pounds  to  every  seven 
pounds  of  the  peaches.  Let  this  boil  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour, 
skimming  two  or  three  times,  and  put  in  three  pints  of  vinegar 
and  one  teaspoonful,  each,  of  cloves  and  celery-seed,  and  one 
tablespoonful,  each,  of  ground  mace,  cinnamon,  and  allspice, 
mixed  and  tied  up  in  thin  muslin  bags.  Bring  the  syrup  to  a 
boil  and  cook  together  for  ten  minutes,  then  put  in  the  fruit  and 


THE  N-ATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  $O$ 

let  it  stew  until  tender.  Remove  it  again  from  the  kettle  with  a 
skimmer,  spread  on  dishes  to  cool,  boil  the  syrup  until  thick, 
and  after  you  have  packed  the  peaches  in  glass  jars,  pour  the 
scalding  syrup  upon  them  and  seal. 

PICKLED  PEARS  (UNPEELED). 
Put  up  by  the  preceding  recipe. 

PICKLED  PEARS  (PEELED). 

Put  up  by  the  recipe  given  for  Pickled  Peaches  (peeled).  All 
sweet  pickles  should  for  the  first  few  weeks  be  examined  every 
two  or  three  days  for  signs  of  fermenting.  Should  these  appear, 
uncover  the  jars  and  set  them  thus  in  a  kettle  of  water.  Bring 
this  to  a  boil,  and  keep  it  at  this  until  the  contents  of  the  jar 
are  scalding  hot. 

PICKLED  PLUMS. 

Put  up  by  the  recipe  given  for  Pickled  Peaches  (peeled),  prick- 
ing the  plums  instead  of  peeling  them. 

PICKLED  WATERMELON  RIND. 

Proceed  as  directed  for  Preserved  Watermelon  Rind  until  you 
reach  the  point  where  the  pieces  of  rind  are  put  into  the  syrup. 
Weigh  them  then  and  make  for  the  pickles  a  syrup  of  a  pound  of 
sugar  and  a  half  cupful  of  water  for  every  pound  of  the  rind.  Add 
to  this  a  half  ounce  of  sliced  ginger-root  for  every  eight  pounds 
of  sugar.  Heat  the  sugar  and  water  slowly  and  when  they  are 
hot  lay  in  the  rinds.  Let  them  simmer  very  slowly  until  clear 
and  tender,  take  them  out,  spread  them  upon  dishes,  add  to  the 
syrup  a  pint  of  vinegar  for  every  pound  of  rind,  a  tablespoonful, 
each,  of  ground  mace,  cloves,  and  cinnamon  tied  up  in  thin 
muslin,  and  a  tablespoonful  of  turmeric  to  every  eight  pounds  of 
rind.  When  the  syrup  boils,  put  in  the  rind  again,  let  it  sim- 
mer fifteen  minutes  and  put  it  up  in  glass  jars.  It  must  season 
two  or  three  weeks  before  it  is  ready  for  use. 


5O6  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 


CATSUPS,    RELISHES,    FLAVORING    VINEGARS, 

ETC 

TOMATO  CATSUP. 

One  peck  of  ripe  tomatoes  ;  four  onions ;  half  a  teaspoonful  of 
garlic,  grated ;  twelve  sprigs  of  parsley ;  two  bay  leaves ;  one 
tablespoon ful,  each,  of  salt,  sugar,  ground  cloves,  mace,  black 
pepper,  and  whole  celery-seed — tie  the  last  up  in  a  bit  of  thin 
muslin  ;  one  scant  teaspoonful  of  cayenne  ;  one  pint  of  vinegar. 

Boil  the  tomatoes  and  onions  together  until  soft,  press  through 
a  colander,  and  then  strain  the  liquid  through  a  fine  sieve.  Put 
this  over  the  fire  with  the  seasoning  and  boil  five  hours,  stirring 
well  from  the  bottom  from  time  to  time.  When  the  liquid  is  re- 
duced nearly  one-half  and  is  quite  thick,  add  the  vinegar,  re- 
moving the  bag  of  celery -seed.  When  the  catsup  is  cold,  bottle 
it  and  seal  the  corks.  Keep  in  a  cellar  or  cool,  dark  closet. 

TOMATO  PASTE. 

Proceed  as  in  the  preceding  recipe,  adding  to  the  tomatoes 
two  good-sized  carrots,  peeled  and  sliced,  and  omitting  the  vine- 
gar altogether.  Cook  the  ingredients  as  for  catsup  until  they 
reach  the  stage  where  a  little  of  the  pulp  will  jelly  in  a  saucer. 
Spread  on  shallow  pie-plates  and  let  the  paste  dry  thoroughly  in 
the  sun  or  in  an  open  oven.  It  can  be  packed  in  layers  in 
wooden  boxes,  with  waxed  paper  between  the  layers,  and  is  use- 
ful for  seasoning  macaroni,  soups,  stews,  etc.  A  piece  a  couple 
of  inches  square  melted  in  a  half  pint  of  butter  (see  Sauce) 
makes  an  excellent  tomato  sauce. 

WALNUT  CATSUP. 

The  walnuts  should  be  young,  and  tender  enough  to  be  read- 
ily pierced  with  a  large  needle.  Prick  each  in  three  or  four 
places,  allow  salt  in  the  proportion  of  two  tablespoonfuls  to 
twenty-five  walnuts,  and  lay  salt  and  nuts  in  a  jar  with  enough 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  507 

water  to  cover  them.  Leave  them  in  this  for  a  fortnight,  pound- 
ing them  every  day  with  a  wooden  mallet  or  potato  beetle.  At 
the  end  of  that  time  strain  off  the  liquor  into  a  preserving  kettle, 
cover  the  nuts  with  boiling  vinegar,  pound  them  in  this  thor- 
oughly, and  strain  this  liquid  into  the  other.  Measure  it,  and 
for  every  quart  add  a  tablespoonful,  each,  of  ginger  and  black 
pepper,  a  dessert-spoonful,  each,  of  cloves  and  mace,  a  teaspoon- 
ful,  each,  of  finely  minced  onion  and  grated  horse-radish,  and 
a  pinch  of  cayenne.  Boil  for  an  hour,  cool,  bottle,  and  seal. 
Good  in  two  months. 

BUTTERNUT  CATSUP. 

This  may  be  made  by  the  recipe  given  for  Walnut  Catsup. 

MUSHROOM  CATSUP. 

Wipe  firm,  fresh  mushrooms  and  break  them  into  pieces.  Al- 
low two  tablespoon fuls  of  salt  to  every  quart  of  the  mushrooms, 
and  arrange  the  latter  in  a  large  crock,  sprinkling  salt  over  each 
layer.  Stand  the  jar  in  a  cellar  or  other  cool  place  for  three 
days,  stirring  the  contents  three  or  four  times  each  day.  At  the 
end  of  the  time  turn  mushrooms  and  salt  into  a  preserving  ket- 
tle, and  let  them  get  warm  very  slowly  over  a  low  fire.  When 
the  juice  flows  freely,  strain  it  off,  put  it  back  over  the  fire  and 
boil  fifteen  minutes.  Measure  it  then  and  allow  to  each  quart 
of  the  liquor  a  tablespoonful,  each,  of  whole  black  peppers  and 
of  allspice,  two  blades  of  mace,  a  bay  leaf,  a  tiny  section  of  a 
clove  of  garlic,  a  bit  of  ginger  root  of  the  same  size,  and  a  very 
little  cayenne.  Return  the  liquor  to  the  fire  once  more  with  the 
spices  and  boil  until  it  is  reduced  to  half  the  quantity  ;  let  it  cool, 
strain  and  bottle  it.  Seal  the  bottles.  The  addition  of  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  brandy  to  each  bottle  is  recommended  by  some 
authorities  as  an  aid  in  preserving  it. 

CUCUMBER  CATSUP. 

< 

Peel,  seed,  and  grate  large  cucumbers.  Drain  the  pulp  in  a 
sieve,  measure,  and  to  a  quart  allow  two  green  peppers,  seeded 


508  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

and  minced,  two  teaspoonfuls  of  salt,  a  grated  onion,  a  gill  of 
grated  horse-radish  and  a  scant  half  teaspoonful  of  cayenne. 
Mix  all  well  together,  add  a  pint  of  vinegar,  bottle  the  catsup 
and  seal. 

GRAPE  CATSUP. 

Wash  and  stem  the  grapes  and  put  them  over  the  fire  with 
enough  water  to  keep  them  from  burning,  stew  slowly  until 
tender,  and  rub  through  a  colander.  The  seeds  and  skins  should 
both  be.  removed  by  this  process.  Measure  the  pulp  and  put  it 
back  in  the  preserving  kettle,  allowing  to  three  quarts  of  it,  two 
pounds  of  brown  sugar,  a  pint  of  good  cider  vinegar,  a  large 
tablespoon ful,  each,  of  ground  cloves,  allspice,  cinnamon,  salt, 
and  black  pepper,  and  an  even  teaspoonful  of  cayenne.  Boil 
the  catsup  until  it  is  reduced  about  one-half  and  is  very  thick, 
skim,  take  from  the  fire,  and  when  cool,  bottle  and  seal. 

APPLE  CHUTNEY. 

Peel  and  chop  six  large  tart  apples.  Mix  with  them  a  small 
onion  and  a  section  of  garlic,  grated,  a  teaspoonful  of  ground 
ginger,  two  tablespoonfuls  of  brown  sugar,  a  pinch  of  cayenne, 
and  half  a  pint  of  vinegar.  Boil  ten  minutes,  and  bottle  when 
cool. 

CHILI  SAUCE. 

Twelve  large  ripe  tomatoes  ;  four  onions  ;  two  green,  or  one 
red  pepper ;  four  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of 
salt ;  two  teaspoonfuls,  each,  of  ground  cinnamon,  cloves,  and 
allspice;  one  teaspoonful  of  ground  ginger  ;  one  quart  of  vinegar. 

Peel  onions  and  tomatoes,  seed  peppers,  and  chop  all  fine. 
Add  the  spices,  put  over  the  fire  and  boil  steadily  for  two  hours. 
Cool,  bottle,  and  seal. 

MINT  VINEGAR. 

Pick  mint  leaves  from  the  stems,  wash  them  and  dry  between 
soft  cloths  and  pack  a  cupful  in  a  glass  jar  or  wide-mouthed  bottle. 
Cover  with  vinegar,  seal  or  cork,  and  let  it  stand  for  three 
weeks.  Strain  off  the  vinegar  through  a  fine  cloth,  and  put  into 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  509 

a  clean  bottle.  Or  you  may  use  two  cupfuls  of  leaves,  let  them 
remain  in  the  vinegar  and  put  into  a  quart  jar  of  this  a  table- 
spoonful  of  mustard-seed  and  a  bit  of  horse-radish.  You  then 
have  a  mint  sauce  that  only  needs  the  addition  of  a  little  sugar 
to  be  ready  for  the  table. 

CELERY  VINEGAR. 

Cut  a  bunch  of  celery  into  small  bits  and  put  it  into  a  jar. 
Bring  a  quart  of  vinegar  to  a  boil,  add  to  it  a  teaspoonful  of  salt 
and  a  tablespoonful  of  white  sugar ;  pour  it,  still  scalding  hot, 
upon  the  celery,  let  it  cool,  close  the  jar  and  leave  it  unopened 
for  two  weeks.  Then  strain  off  the  vinegar,  bottle  it,  and  cork 
tightly.  A  quarter  of  a  pound  of  celery-seed  may  be  used  in- 
stead of  the  fresh  celery. 

ONION  VINEGAR, 

Peel  and  chop  six  large  onions,  sprinkle  over  them  a  table- 
spoonful  of  salt,  and  let  them  stand  over  night.  Scald  a  quart  of 
vinegar  with  a  tablespoonful  of  white  sugar,  pour  this  over  the 
onions,  let  them  steep  for  two  weeks,  closely  covered,  strain,  and 
bottle  the  vinegar. 

TARRAGON  VINEGAR, 

Prepare  like  Mint  Vinegar  and  let  it  stand,  closely  covered, 
three  weeks  before  straining  and  bottling  it. 


CHILDREN'S   DIET. 

ALL  matters  bearing  upon  dietetics  have  sprung  into  promi- 
nence during  the  past  ten  years.  Physicians  have  adopted  the 
practice  of  recommending  diet  rather  than  medicine,  and  writers 
on  domestic  topics  have  devoted  their  best  powers  to  raising  the 
national  standard  of  food,  both  in  quality  and  modes  of  prepa- 
ration. In  spite  of  all  this,  the  reforms  introduced  have  been 
neither  radical  nor  universal.  Men  and  women  still  eat  at  ex- 
press rates,  devour  pie,  drink  ice-water,  and  cling  to  the  frying- 
pan.  The  national  dyspepsia  is  yet  unsubdued,  and  worst  of  all, 
the  rising  generation  are  planting  their  feet  in  the  footprints  left 
by  their  fathers  and  mothers. 

Henry  James  has  presented  a  picture  of  what  he  evidently  con- 
siders the  typical  American  boy  in  Daisy  Miller's  small  brother, 
a  portrait  at  which  readers  have  alternately  laughed  and  fumed. 
In  either  case  they  have  been  compelled  to  admit  that  the  de- 
scription contained  elements  of  resemblance,  although  they 
might  be  overdrawn.  The  pertness  of  Randolph  Miller,  his 
total  absence  of  respect  for  parent  or  guardian,  his  candy-eating 
propensities,  and  various  other  disagreeable  traits  are  all  familiar, 
though  seldom  all  combined  in  the  person  of  one  child.  For 
any  and  all  of  these  faults  at  least  nine-tenths  of  the  blame  must 
rest  with  the  father  and  mother.  Original  sin  and  total  de- 
pravity may  be  negatived,  but  a  natural  tendency  to  do  wrong 
rather  than  right,  cannot  be  denied  by  any  one  who  has  had 
much  to  do  with  young  children.  This  acknowledged,  it  fol- 
lows that  it  is  the  bounden  duty  of  the  guides  of  the  little  ones 
to  do  all  they  can  to  counteract  this  disposition  in  order  to  pre- 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  511 

vent  their  charges  from  becoming  intolerable  to  themselves  and 
to  all  about  them. 

In  no  department  of  the  nursery  is  close  guardianship  needed 
more  than  in  that  of  children's  food.  To  a  casual  looker-on,  it 
seems  sometimes  that,  in  becoming  mothers,  women  must  have 
parted  with  whatever  atoms  of  common  sense  they  once  pos- 
sessed. Ignorant  of  physiology  and  hygiene  though  they  may 
be,  ordinary  observation  and  acquaintance  with  the  simplest  laws 
of  nature  ought  to  teach  them  something.  Nevertheless,  one 
constantly  sees  women  who,  in  other  directions  give  no  evidence 
of  being  candidates  for  lunatic  asylums,  trifling  with  the  health 
and  life  of  their  offspring  with  a  recklessness  that,  if  applied  to 
other  and  less  important  matters,  would  seem  nothing  short  of 
madness. 

The  mother  of  several  boys  was  one  day  bemoaning  to  a  visit- 
or the  fact  that  her  youngest,  a  child  of  five,  was  subject  to  sum- 
mer complaint.  She  had  been  up  with  him  all  the  preceding 
night  in  an  attack  resembling  cholera  morbus.  The  scourge  of 
cholera  was  in  the  land  at  the  time,  and  the  anxious  parent 
sighed  as  she  said  she  knew  poor  little  Tom  would  have  no 
chance  if  exposed  to  the  disease.  She  had  hardly  finished  her 
lament  when  the  guest  caught  a  glimpse  of  its  object.  The 
morning  was  a  rainy  one,  but  the  child  wafc  standing  nearly 
knee-keep  in  wet  grass  under  a  plum-tree  in  the  garden,  eating 
the  unripe  fruit  with  gusto.  At  her  friend's  exclamation  of 
horror,  the  mother  glanced  from  the  window,  nodded  smilingly 
to  the  juvenile  culprit,  and  said  calmly,  as  she  resumed  her  seat : 

"  I  never  limit  the  boys  in  their  allowance  of  fruit.  They 
are  welcome  to  all  they  find  on  the  ground,  and  the  dear  fellows 
enjoy  it  thoroughly." 

Another  child,  a  girl  of  four,  is  "  passionately  fond  of 
pickles." 

"  It  does  no  good  to  put  them  out  of  her  reach,"  laughs  the 
mother.  "I  did  that  for  awhile.  But  after  I  caught  her  risk- 
ing her  neck  balancing  herself  on  two  chairs  and  a  footstool  to 
reach  the  jar  on  the  top  shelf  of  the  pantry,  I  thought  it  would 


512  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

be  safer  to  keep  them  where  she  could  get  them  without  break- 
ing any  bones." 

Nearly  every  one  is  acquainted  with  children  who  are  as  de- 
voted to  their  strong  tea  and  coffee  as  a  regular  drinker  to  his 
dram.  While  these  beverages  may  be  helpful  in  imparting  tem- 
porary tone  and  strength  to  hard- worked  men  and  women,  it  is 
a  great  mistake  to  permit  a  child  to  begin  life  by  over-exciting 
his  nervous  system  by  their  use.  For  those  who  do  not  like 
milk,  cold  water — not  iced-water — should  be  sufficient.  Thought- 
less mothers  often  lay  the  foundation  for  this  taste  by  pouring  a 
few  teaspoonfuls  of  real  tea  or  coffee  into  the  child's  "  cambric 
tea."  Far  better  is  it  to  have  it  understood  at  the  outset  that 
such  drinks  are  not  for  children,  instead  of  pretending  to  humor 
a  whim  which  can  do  no  good.  Nervous  digestions  and  tempers 
would  all  be  the  better  for  the  abstinence. 

But  it  is  not  enough  to  keep  from  children  those  articles  of 
food  which  will  do  them  harm.  It  should  be  the  study  of  the 
mother  to  select  and  arrange  their  diet  with  the  view  to  giving 
them  what  they  need  for  nourishment  and  growth.  In  this  day 
when  the  dietetic  schoolmaster  is  abroad,  when  lectures  on 
cookery  are  delivered  in  every  town,  and  the  press  teems  with 
tracts  and  treatises  upon  wholesome  food,  there  is  less  excuse 
than  ever  before  for  ignorance  or  neglect.  Yet  all  the  preach- 
ing and  printing  in  the  land  does  no  good  unless  the  mother 
makes  the  practical  application  of  the  precepts.  Upon  her,  and 
upon  her  alone,  it  devolves  to  feed  her  child  with  food  conven- 
ient (or  suitable)  for  him.  She  must  see  that  while  he  has 
starches  to  keep  up  the  fires  of  the  body,  as  it  were,  he  has  also 
nitrogenous  foods  that  will  form  flesh  and  muscle,  phosphates  that 
will  feed  bone  and  brain,  fats  that  will  warm  and  nourish.  For 
no  two  children  can  one  prescribe  a  similar  bill  of  fare.  One 
demands  fats,  another  requires  albuminoids,  a  third  needs 
starches.  Only  by  patient  and  intelligent  study  and  experi- 
ment can  the  mother  learn  what  to  choose  and  what  to  reject. 

C.  T.  H. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  $13 


THE  NURSERY  TABLE. 

CEREALS  AND  VEGETABLES. 

At  least  half  the  mothers  of  young  children  labor  under  the 
impression  that  they  know  all  there  is  to  be  learned  about  chil- 
dren's diet.  Many  have  a  lofty  contempt  for  the  "  fussiness," 
as  they  term  it,  that  leads  sundry  young  matrons  to  study  the 
comparative  nutritive  qualities  of  different  kinds  of  food  and  to 
exclude  from  the  baby's  bill-of-fare  all  but  the  simplest  articles. 

"  I  let  my  baby  come  to  the  table  and  eat  with  us,"  said  the 
mother  of  a  year-old  girl  not  long  ago.  "  She's  real  fond 
of  potatoes  and  green  corn,  and  of  sweet  things;  but" — with  a 
sigh — "  doctor,  he  says  they  ain't  good  for  her  while  I'm  nursin' 
her." 

The  mother  of  another  baby  of  about  the  same  age  was  terribly 
alarmed  by  a  severe  attack  of  cholera  morbus  that  followed  the 
infant's  supper  of  boiled  ham  and  cabbage. 

"  It  couldn't  be  anything  he  e't,"  she  said,  decidedly,  "  be- 
cause the  four  other  children  have  always  been  fed  just  like  him, 
and  they're  all  right." 

True,  these  instances  are  selected  from  an  unlearned  class, 
but  the  same  ignorance  or  carelessness  may  be  found  in  a  much 
higher  walk  of  life.  The  study  of  an  appropriate  diet  for 
children  will  not  seem  unworthy  of  trained  mental  powers  when  one 
reflects  upon  the  evil  consequences  that  neglect  may  entail  upon 
the  body,  and,  through  that,  upon  the  mind  of  the  growing  child. 

For  a  little  baby  there  can  be,  of  course,  almost  no  variety. 
Milk,  sterilized  or  peptonized,  or  one  of  the  prepared  foods  en- 
dorsed by  physicians,  is  all  that  can  be  offered  for  many  months. 
But  as  the  child  grows  older  and  acquires  his  full  set  of  milk- 
teeth,  a  change  is  not  only  agreeable  to  him,  but  almost  essential 
to  his  health.  His  appetite  will  be  stimulated  by  variety,  and  if 
his  food  is  properly  prepared,  it  may  be  toothsome  as  well  as 
nourishing.  Prominent  in  his  menu  are  cereals  and  vegetables 
which  should  serve  as  the //&•«•  de  resistance  of  the  nursery-table. 
33 


514  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

OATMEAL  PORRIDGE. 

Four  heaping  tablespoonfuls  of  fine  ground  oatmeal ;  three 
cupfuls  of  warm  water ;  one-half  teaspoonful  of  salt. 

The  manufacturer  of  one  brand  of  oatmeal  declares  that  it 
needs  no  preliminary  soaking.  This  can  do  it  no  harm,  how- 
ever, and  aids  in  softening  the  cereal  and  reducing  it  to  a  fit  state 
for  childish — or  adult — digestions.  Let  the  double  boiler,  con- 
taining oatmeal  and  water,  stand  at  the  back  of  the  range  over 
night.  In  the  morning  fill  the  outer  vessel  with  hot  water  and 
move  the  boiler  to  the  front  of  the  stove.  Let  it  cook  steadily 
for  at  least  half  an  hour.  Three-quarters  of  an  hour,  or  an  hour, 
will  be  even  better.  Just  before  pouring  out  the  porridge  beat 
it  hard  with  a  wooden  spoon,  and  if  it  seems  too  stiff,  stir  in  a 
little  boiling  water.  Salt  it  the  last  thing  before  turning  it  out. 

WHEATEN  GRITS. 

To  be  properly  cooked  this  should  be  prepared  the  day  before 
it  is  to  be  eaten.  Put  three  tablespoonfuls  of  the  wheaten  grits, 
or  cracked  wheat,  and  a  pint  of  warm  water  into  a  double  boiler 
and  cook  at  one  side  of  the  stove  steadily,  but  not  hard,  for  four 
hours.  The  next  morning  warm  the  porridge  and  salt  it  to  taste. 

HASTY  PUDDING  OR  MUSH. 

One  quart  of  boiling  water ;  one  cupful  of  yellow  corn-meal ; 
one  teaspoonful  of  salt. 

Stir  the  corn-meal  to  a  paste  with  a  little  cold  water  and  add 
it  to  the  salted  boiling  water  in  a  double  boiler.  Cook  steadily 
three-quarters  of  an  hour,  stirring  hard  and  often.  Avoid  mak- 
ing the  mush  too  stiff. 

HOMINY  BOILED  IN  MILK. 

One  cupful  of  fine  white  hominy ;  two  cupfuls  of  milk ;  salt  to 
taste. 

Wash  the  hominy  in  several  waters  and  soak  it  over  night  in 
enough  cold  water  to  cover  it.  In  the  morning  drain  off  the 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  51$ 

water,  pour  in  the  milk,  and  cook  in  a  covered  double  boiler  for 
an  hour.  Stir  in  a  small  tablespoonful  of  butter,  and  salt  to  taste 
before  sending  to  table. 

RICE  PORRIDGE. 

Two  cupftils  of  milk  ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  rice  or  rice- 
flour  ;  half  a  cupful  of  cold  water. 

If  you  cannot  procure  the  rice-flour  wash  the  rice  thoroughly 
and  crush  it  with  a  rolling-pin  or  in  a  mortar  with  a  pestle  ;  or, 
it  may  be  laid  between  two  folds  of  coarse  cloth  and  hammered 
with  a  potato-beetle  until  it  is  well  broken.  Mix  it  with  the 
water  and  stir  it  into  the  milk,  which  should  be  scalding-hot,  in 
a  double  boiler.  Cook  for  half  an  hour,  salt,  and  serve. 

CORN-BREAD. 

One  cupful  of  corn-meal ;  one  cupful  of  flour;  two  tablespoon- 
fuls of  sugar ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  ;  two  teaspoon fuls  of 
Cleveland's  Baking  Powder  ;  two  eggs  ;  one  cupful  of  milk  ;  one 
tablespoonful  of  salt. 

Beat  the  eggs,  add  to  them  the  salt,  sugar,  milk,  and  melted 
butter.  Sift  the  corn-meal  and  flour  together  with  the  baking 
powder,  and  mix  with  the  other  ingredients.  Beat  hard,  pour 
into  well-greased  muffin-tins,  and  bake.  These  are  also  good 
split  and  toasted  when  cold. 

GRAHAM  BREAD. 

Two  cupfuls  of  Graham  flour  ;  one  cupful  of  white  flour  ;  one 
yeast  cake  dissolved  in  a  cupful  and  a  half  of  warm  water ;  three 
tablespoonfuls  of  molasses ;  one  teaspoonful  of  salt. 

Sift  the  white  flour  with  the  salt  and  mix  with  the  unsifted 
Graham  flour.  Stir  in  the  yeast,  the  warm  water,  and  the 
molasses,  and  make  all  into  as  soft  a  dough  as  can  be  handled. 
Should  it  seem  stiff  with  the  above  proportions,  add  a  little 
warm  water.  Let  the  dough  rise  over  night  and  in  the  morning 
knead  it  well  and  make  it  into  small  loaves.  Set  these  to  rise 
for  a  couple  of  hours  and  bake  in  a  steady  oven. 


$l6  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

This  bread  should  not  be  cut  while  hot.  It  is  admirable  for 
growing  children,  and  makes  excellent  toast. 

GRAHAM  BREWIS. 

Two  cupfuls  of  milk ;  one  heaping  tablespoonful  of  white  flour  ; 
one  tablespoonful  of  butter ;  slices  of  Graham  bread ;  salt  to 
taste. 

Break  the  bread  into  small  bits,  spread  it  on  a  pan  and  set  it 
in  a  slow  oven  for  five  or  ten  minutes,  until  quite  crisp.  Mean- 
while, heat  the  milk  to  scalding  in  a  double  boiler,  and  thicken 
it  with  the  flour  and  butter  rubbed  together. 

Into  this  stir  the  bread,  and  let  it  cook  slowly  until  soft  and 
smooth. 

Should  it  become  too  thick  to  stir  easily,  add  a  little  more 
milk.  Salt  to  taste,  and  serve. 

Brewis  may  also  be  made  of  white  bread,  or  of  white  and 
Graham  mixed. 

MILK  TOAST. 

Cut  slices  of  baker's  bread  an  inch  thick,  trim  off  the  crusts 
and  toast  the  bread  quickly  and  lightly  over  a  clear,  smokeless 
fire.  Place  ready  at  the  side  of  the  stove  a  pan  of  boiling  water 
and  dip  each  slice  into  this  for  a  second  before  spreading  it  spar- 
ingly with  butter  and  laying  it  on  a  deep  dish.  When  the  dish 
is  full,  pour  over  it  slowly  milk  that  has  been  heated  in  a  double 
boiler,  adding  a  little  salt  to  it  just  before  taking  it  from  the  fire. 
Cover  the  dish  and  set  it  in  a  slow  oven  or  in  the  plate-warmer 
for  five  minutes,  uncover,  and  if  all  the  milk  has  been  absorbed, 
add  more,  and  let  the  dish  stand  in  a  warm  place  five  minutes 
longer  before  sending  to  table.  By  this  process  the  toast  will  be 
soft  throughout. 

TOASTED  CRACKERS. 

Split  Boston  crackers,  toast  them  on  the  inside,  and  butter. 
These  are  especially  relished  by  children  when  accompanied  by 
apple  sauce  or  by  some  simple  fruit-jelly,  jam,  or  marmalade. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 


PANADA. 

Split  and  toast  Boston  crackers  and  arrange  them  in  a  bowl, 
sprinkling  each  layer  lightly  with  sugar.  When  the  bowl  is  full 
pour  over  its  contents  enough  slightly  salted  boiling  water  to 
cover  the  crackers.  When  this  is  absorbed  add  a  little  more, 
and  let  the  bowl  stand  covered  in  a  hot  place  for  fifteen  minutes 
before  serving. 

STUFFED  POTATOES. 

Select  six  large  white  potatoes,  wash  and  bake  them  until 
soft.  Cut  off  the  end  of  each  one,  and  with  the  handle  of  a 
fork  or  spoon  scrape  out  the  contents.  Mash  them  with  a  fork 
and  add  to  them  three  tablespoon  fuls  of  hot  milk,  a  tablespoon- 
ful  of  butter,  and  salt  to  taste.  Return  the  mixture  to  the  skins 
and  set  them  in  the  oven  for  five  or  ten  minutes  until  they  are 
hot  through. 

STEWED  POTATOES. 

Peel  six  large  white  potatoes  and  cut  them  into  neat  dice  with 
a  sharp  knife.  Lay  them  in  cold  water  for  twenty  minutes  and 
then  put  them  over  the  fire  in  boiling  water.  Cook  until  tender, 
drain  off  the  water  and  sprinkle  the  potatoes  with  a  tablespoon- 
ful  of  flour.  Have  ready  a  cupful  of  milk  in  which  a  good  tea- 
spoonful  of  butter  has  been  melted  ;  pour  this  over  the  potatoes 
and  let  them  come  slowly  to  a  boil.  Salt  to  taste,  and  serve. 

POTATO  PUFF. 

Two  cupfuls  of  mashed  potato  ;  one  egg  ;  half  a  cupful  of 
milk  ;  two  teaspoonfuls  of  butter  ;  salt  to  taste. 

Beat  the  egg  light,  add  it  with  the  butter,  the  milk,  and  the 
salt  to  the  potato,  whip  all  together  and  bake  in  a  buttered  pud- 
ding-dish. 

SCALLOPED  POTATO. 

To  two  cupfuls  of  mashed  potato  add  one  egg,  a  tablespoonful 
of  butter,  and  a  cupful  of  milk.  Salt  to  taste,  turn  the  potato 


5l8  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

into  a  buttered  pudding-dish,  sprinkle  with  fine  crumbs,  dot 
with  bits  of  butter,  and  bake,  covered,  until  the  potato  is  hot 
through  ;  uncover  and  brown. 

POTATOES  STEWED  WHOLE. 

Small  potatoes  may  be  selected  for  this.  Peel  and  boil  them. 
When  they  are  almost  done  drain  off  the  water  and  pour  over 
them  enough  milk  to  cover  them.  Let  them  cook  in  this  until 
done  and  stir  in  a  tablespoonful  of  butter,  cut  up  in  a  table- 
spoonful  of  flour.  Simmer  a  few  moments,  season,  and  serve. 

SWEET  POTATOES,  SCALLOPED. 

Boil  sweet  potatoes  and  slice  them  crosswise  after  peeling. 
Arrange  the  slices  in  a  buttered  pudding-dish,  sprinkling  each 
layer  with  a  few  crumbs,  with  bits  of  butter,  and  a  very  little  salt. 
Make  the  top  layer  a  thick  one  of  crumbs  and  dot  plentifully 
with  butter.  Cook,  covered,  twenty  minutes,  uncover  and  brown. 

SWEET  POTATO  PUFF. 

Two  cupfuls  of  sweet  potato,  mashed ;  two  eggs ;  one  cupful  of 
milk  ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  ;  salt. 

Mix  and  bake  like  the  white  potato  puff  described  above. 

BUTTERED  SWEET  POTATOES. 

Boil  and  peel  sweet  potatoes  and  slice  them  lengthwise.  But- 
ter each  piece  and  lay  all  in  a  pan,  buttered  side  up.  Set  this 
in  the  oven  for  a  few  minutes  before  serving. 

SCALLOPED  TOMATOES. 

Slice  ripe  tomatoes  and  place  the  slices  in  layers  in  a  pudding- 
dish,  sprinkling  each  layer  with  a  little  sugar  and  salt,  and  put- 
ting bits  of  butter  here  and  there.  Bake,  covered,  for  half  an 
hour,  uncover  and  brown. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  519 


RICE  AND  TOMATO. 

Arrange  alternate  layers  of  boiled  rice  and  sliced  tomatoes  in 
a  baking-dish,  making  the  top  layer  of  tomato.  Scatter  over 
this  small  pieces  of  butter,  bake,  covered,  twenty  minutes,  un- 
cover'and  leave  in  the  oven  ten  minutes  longer. 

STEWED  OYSTER  PLANT. 

Scrape  and  slice  the  roots.  Stew  until  tender,  putting  them  on 
in  hot  water,  a  little  salted.  When  done,  turn  off  the  water,  add 
a  cupful  of  cold  milk,  thicken  it  with  a  tablespoonful  of  butter 
rolled  in  a  tablespoonful  of  flour,  and  serve  after  it  has  simmered 
about  five  minutes. 

STEWED  CELERY. 

Cut  celery  into  inch  lengths,  cook  it  in  water  until  tender, 
drain  and  pour  over  it  a  cupful  of  milk,  thickened  with  a  table- 
spoonful  of  butter  rubbed  smooth  with  as  much  flour.  Season 
to  taste. 

STEWED  MACARONL 

Select  spaghetti  in  preference  to  the  pipe  macaroni.  Break  it 
into  small  pieces,  put  it  over  the  fire  in  boiling  water  and  cook  ten 
minutes.  Drain  off  the  water,  pour  a  cupful  of  milk  over  the 
macaroni,  and  cook  until  tender.  When  done,  stir  in  a  good 
tablespoonful  of  butter,  and  salt  to  taste. 

This  makes  an  excellent  nursery  dessert  when  eaten  with  butter 
and  sugar. 


WITH  THE  CHAFING-DISH. 

A  FEW  years  ago  it  might  have  been  thought  necessary  to  in- 
clude, in  a  book  of  this  character,  an  elaborate  treatise  upon 
the  methods  of  cooking  with  the  chafing-dish,  and  a  long  list  of 
recipes.  But  we  have  changed  all  that.  Few  and  far  between 
are  the  homes  in  which  the  chafing-dish  is  not  a  familiar  friend, 
and  each  man  or  woman  who  handles  it  has  his,  or  her,  own  pet 
recipes  for  at  least  the  best-known  dishes  that  can  be  prepared 
over  an  alcohol  flame.  Therefore  it  is  not  designed  to  give 
elementary  instructions  here.  There  follow  only  such  dishes  as 
have  seemed  new  or  unusual,  and  so  worthy  of  being  made 
known  to  the  public.  Those  who  desire  arguments  in  favor  of 
the  chafing-dish,  minute  directions  for  its  use,  and  an  extensive 
collection  of  trustworthy  recipes,  are  respectfully  referred  to 
"  The  Chafing-Dish  Supper"  by  Christine  Terhune  Herrick, 
published  by  Charles  Scribner's  Sons. 

DEVILED  OYSTERS. 

Twenty  oysters ;  one  gill  of  oyster -liquor ;  two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  butter  ;  one  dessertspoonful  of  flour  ;  one  teaspoon ful  of 
salt ;  half  a  tablespoonful  of  curry  powder  ;  one  teaspoonful  of 
Worcestershire  sauce  ;  ten  drops  of  Tabasco  sauce  j  juice  of  one 
lemon. 

Melt  the  butter  in  the  blazer,  stir  in  the  flour,  and  when  this 
is  blended,  the  oyster-liquor  and  all  of  the  seasoning  except  the 
lemon-juice.  As  soon  as  the  sauce  is  boiling-hot,  drop  in  the 
oysters  and  cook  three  minutes  or  until  they  plump.  Add  the 
lemon -juice  and  serve  them  at  once  on  Graham  toast. 


THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK  521 

Huntley  &  Palmer's  Breakfast  Biscuits  make  an  excellent  sub- 
stitute for  toast  in  chafing-dish  cookery. 

OYSTERS  WITH  ANCHOVY. 

Twenty  oysters ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter ;  one  heap- 
ing teaspoonful  of  anchovy  paste  ;  a  little  cayenne ;  juice  of  a 
lemon. 

Melt  the  butter  and  the  anchovy  together  in  the  blazer,  put 
in  the  oysters,  cook  three  minutes,  add  the  cayenne  and  lemon- 
juice  and  serve  on  buttered  toast  or  "  breakfast-biscuit." 

CELERY  OYSTERS. 

Twenty  fine  oysters  ;  one  gill  of  oyster-liquor ;  half  a  cupful 
of  crisp  celery,  minced  fine ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter ;  one 
gill  of  cream  ;  one  gill  of  sherry  or  Madeira  ;  one  teaspoonful, 
each,  of  salt  and  paprica. 

Put  the  oyster-liquor,  celery,  and  paprica  in  the  chafing-dish 
over  hot  water,  and  when  it  comes  to  a  boil  simmer  three  or 
four  minutes;  add  the  butter  and  the  cream,  and  when  these  are 
boiling-hot  put  in  the  oysters.  Cook  until  the  edges  curl,  stir 
in  the  wine  and  salt,  and  serve  at  once  on  toast. 

CLAMS  SAUTE. 

Twenty  soft  clams,  from  which  the  tough  part  has  been  re- 
moved ;  two  slices  of  salt  pork  or  fat  bacon  cut  into  fine  dice ; 
a  little  white  pepper. 

Fry  the  pork  or  bacon  crisp  in  the  blazer,  and  when  the  dice 
begin  to  brown  push  them  to  the  side  of  the  pan  and  lay  in  the 
clams.  Saute  them,  turning  once  or  twice,  and  serve  on  Gra- 
ham or  Boston  brown  bread  toast. 

DEVILED  SARDINES. 

One  box  of  boneless  sardines,  drained  and  skinned  ;  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  butter ;  one  teaspoonful  of  paprica,  or  one 
saltspoonful  of  cayenne  ;  one  saltspoonful  of  salt ;  one  table- 
spoonful  of  lemon-juice. 


522  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

Melt  the  butter  in  the  blazer  and  when  hissing  hot  lay  in  the 
sardines.  Cook  until  heated  through,  turning  once,  sprinkle  with 
salt  and  paprica,  add  the  lemon-juice,  and  serve  on  toast. 

SHRIMPS  WITH  ANCHOVY  SAUCE. 

One  can  of  shrimps ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter ;  one  gill 
of  cream  ;  one  teaspoonful  of  anchovy  paste  ;  yolks  of  two  eggs ; 
saltspoonful  of  cayenne. 

Melt  together  the  butter  and  anchovy,  lay  in  the  shrimps, 
pepper  them,  and  saute  until  they  are  hot  through.  Break  the 
eggs  in  a  bowl,  beat  the  cream  into  them,  and  pour  into  the 
chafing-dish.  Stir  two  or  three  minutes,  until  the  sauce  thickens, 
and  serve  at  once  on  toast. 

This  dish  should  be  prepared  over  hot  water. 

SHRIMPS  WITH  TOMATO  SAUCE. 

One  cupful  of  tomato  sauce  (see  recipe).  This  can  easily  be 
prepared  in  the  chafing-dish.  One  can  of  shrimps.  Salt  to  taste, 
and  one  saltspoonful  of  cayenne. 

Stir  the  shrimps  into  the  tomato  sauce,  bring  to  a  boil,  season, 
and  serve  on  toast  or  in  scallop-shells,  or  nappies. 

CELERY  LOBSTER. 

Two  cupfuls  of  lobster-meat,  cut  into  small  pieces ;  one  cup- 
ful of  crisp  celery,  minced  ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter ;  one 
dessertspoonful  of  flour  ;  half  a  pint  of  milk  ;  yolks  of  two  eggs  ; 
one  teaspoonful  of  salt ;  one  saltspoonful  of  cayenne ;  juice  of  a 
lemon. 

Cook  together  the  butter  and  flour  over  hot  water,  add  the 
milk,  stir  until  smooth,  put  in  the  celery  and  cook  three  minutes, 
add  the  lobster,  seasoning,  and  yolk  of  egg ;  stir  until  thick,  and 
serve. 

HUNGARIAN  MUSHROOMS. 

Half  a  pound  of  fresh  mushrooms,  stemmed  and  peeled  ;  three 
tablespoonfuls  of  salad  oil ;  one  teaspoonful  of  paprica ;  one  salt- 
spoonful  of  pepper. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  $2$ 

Heat  the  oil  over  boiling  water,  lay  in  the  mushrooms.  Cover 
closely,  cook  ten  minutes,  or  until  tender  salt  and  serve  on  toast 
or  "breakfast-biscuit." 

DEVILED  EGGS. 

Six  hard-boiled  eggs  ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  ;  one  table- 
spoonful,  each,  of  tomato  and  mushroom  catsup  ;  one  teaspoonful 
of  Worcestershire  sauce ;  saltspoonful,  each,  of  dry  mustard  and 
cayenne. 

Heat  the  butter  and  seasoning  together  in  the  blazer,  lay  in 
the  eggs,  cut  into  four  lengthwise  and  then  sliced  across  four 
times,  and,  when  hot  through,  serve  upon  toast  spread  with  but- 
ter or  anchovy  paste. 

EGGS  WITH  KIDNEYS. 

Four  lamb's  kidneys,  scalded,  skinned,  and  quartered  ;  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  butter  ;  one  teaspoonful  of  onion-juice ;  one 
gill  of  consomme  or  gravy;  six  eggs.  Heat  the  butter  in  the 
blazer,  add  the  onion-juice  and  put  in  the  kidneys.  Cook  until 
browned,  pour  in  the  gravy  and  stir  in  the  eggs,  slightly  beaten. 
Cook  until  they  are  set,  and  serve. 

DEVILED  KIDNEYS. 

Six  lamb's  kidneys,  scalded,  skinned,  and  split  in  half;  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  butter ;  one  teaspoonful,  each,  of  onion-juice  and 
Worcestershire  sauce;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  sherry  or  Madeira; 
one  even  teaspoonful  of  salt ;  saltspoonful  of  cayenne.  Heat  the 
butter  and  brown  the  kidneys  in  the  blazer,  add  the  seasoning, 
cook  two  minutes,  and  serve. 

DEVILED  BEEF. 

Slices  of  rare  roast  beef ;  three  tablespoonfuls  of  olive  oil ;  one 
teaspoonful,  each,  of  paprica  and  salt ;  half  a  teaspoonful,  each, 
of  mustard  and  black  pepper ;  six  olives,  stoned  and  cut  in  two. 

Heat  oil  and  seasoning  together  in  blazer ;  lay  in  the  beef  and 
olives  and  cook  until  smoking-hot. 

Underdone  mutton  may  be  prepared  in  the  same  way. 


524  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

SAVORY  SAUSAGES. 

Prick  and  fry  six  small  sausages  in  the  blazer  until  almost  crisp, 
put  in  a  tablespoonful  of  butter,  two  tablespoonfuls  of  minced 
celery,  and  half  a  teaspoonful  of  paprica  ;  toss  and  turn  until  hot, 
and  serve  on  toast  or  "breakfast-biscuit." 

CELERY   CHICKEN. 

Prepare  like  Celery  Lobster,  adding  to  the  roux  a  teaspoonful 
of  onion-juice. 

CHICKEN  TERRAPIN. 

Two  cupfuls  of  the  dark  meat  of  chicken  or  turkey,  cut  into 
small  pieces ;  half  a  pint  of  cream  ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter ; 
one  tablespoonful  of  flour  ;  yolks  of  three  hard-boiled  eggs ;  one 
teaspoonful,  each,  of  dry  mustard  and  salt ;  saltspoonful  of  cay- 
enne ;  one  gill  of  sherry  or  Madeira. 

Rub  the  yolks  of  the  eggs  to  a  paste  with  the  butter,  flour,  and 
seasoning.  Heat  the  cream  in  the  blazer  and  stir  them  into  it. 
Lay  in  the  chicken,  cook  until  smoking-hot,  add  the  wine,  and 
serve. 

HOT  CHICKEN  SALAD. 

Two  cupfuls  of  the  white  meat  of  cold  chicken  or  turkey  cut 
into  dice,  and  steeped  one  hour  in  two  tablespoonfuls  of  salad 
oil ;  one  tablespoonful  of  butter  ;  one  tablespoonful  of  flour  ; 
half  a  pint  of  milk  ;  one  gill  of  cream  ;  one  teaspoonful,  each,  of 
onion-juice  and  celery -salt ;  half  a  teaspoonful  of  common  salt ; 
saltspoonful  of  white  pepper. 

Melt  the  butter  in  the  blazer  with  the  onion-juice,  add  the 
flour,  and  when  these  are  blended,  the  milk.  Stir  until  thick  and 
smooth,  put  in  the  chicken  and  any  of  the  oil  it  has  not  ab- 
sorbed, let  it  become  scalding-hot,  season,  put  in  the  cream  and 
serve  at  once,  with  or  without  toast. 

LAKE  FOREST  CHICKEN  RECHAUFFE. 
Two  cupfuls  of  the  white  meat  of  cold  chicken  or  turkey ; 
one  pint  of  chicken-stock ;    half  a  cupful  of  fine  white  bread- 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  $2$ 

crumbs  ;  half  a  pint  of  cream  ;  four  hard-boiled  eggs  ;  one  table- 
spoonful  of  butter  ;  salt  and  white  pepper  to  taste. 

Chop  the  whites  of  the  eggs  coarsely.  Let  the  crumbs  soak 
in  the  cream  until  soft,  and  rub  into  them  the  powdered  yolks 
of  the  eggs.  Melt  the  butter  in  the  blazer,  put  in  the  stock  and 
bring  to  a  boil ;  add  the  paste  of  crumbs,  cream  and  yolks,  and, 
when  hot,  the  chicken  and  chopped  whites.  Cook  five  min- 
utes, or  until  boiling,  and  serve. 

SWEETBREADS  WITH  ASPARAGUS  TIPS. 

One  large  pair  of  sweetbreads,  parboiled,  blanched,  and  sliced  ; 
half  a  pint  of  boiled  asparagus  tips  ;  one  gill  of  asparagus  liquor  ; 
half  a  pint  of  cream  ;  one  tablespoonful  of  butter ;  one  table- 
spoonful  of  flour  ;  yolks  of  two  eggs  ;  one  teaspoonful  of  salt ; 
saltspoonful  of  white  pepper. 

Make  a  roux  of  the  butter  and  flour  over  hot  water,  stir  in  the 
cream  and  asparagus-liquor  and  when  these  are  a  smooth  sauce, 
add  the  sweetbreads  and  asparagus.  Put  in  cautiously,  drop  by 
drop,  the  beaten  yolks  of  the  eggs,  cook  three  minutes,  season 

and  serve. 

A  SWISS  WELSH  RAREBIT. 

Half  a  pound  of  Gruyere  (Swiss)  cheese  ;  three  tablespoon fu Is 
of  butter  ;  six  eggs ;  one  teaspoonful  of  salt ;  saltspoonful  of 
red  pepper,  or  three  times  as  much  paprica. 

Melt  the  butter  and  the  grated  cheese  over  boiling  water,  stir 
in  the  eggs  and  cook  until  they  are  thick,  season  and  serve  on 
toast  or  crackers. 

Those  who  find  this  rarebit  too  thick  as  made  by  the  above 
recipe  may  thin  it  with  a  gill  of  beer  or  of  milk. 


AFTERMATH. 

CRAB  BISQUE. 

A  Creole  Dish. 

THE  meat  of  four  boiled  crabs  ''picked  up"  fine;  nearly 
three  cupfuls  of  rich  milk ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  butter  rolled  in 
one  of  flour,  and  two  left  plain  ;  two  small  onions  and  one  green 
sweet-pepper  cut  up,  with  the  seeds  left  out ;  one  large  tomato, 
peeled  and  sliced  thin ;  salt  and  pepper  to  taste. 

A  handful  of  bread-dice  fried. 

Melt  the  unfloured  butter  in  the  saucepan,  but  do  not  let  it 
hiss.  As  soon  as  it  is  hot  put  in  with  it  the  minced  onions, 
pepper,  and  tomato.  Season,  cover  closely,  and  stew  twenty  min- 
utes. Add  the  crab,  with  a  very  little  boiling  water  to  prevent 
the  crab-meat  from  catching  on  the  bottom,  and  stew  ten  minutes. 
Heat  the  milk  (with  a  bit  of  soda)  in  a  separate  vessel,  thicken 
with  the  floured  butter,  season  with  salt  and  cayenne ;  take  the 
saucepan  from  the  fire  and  stir  in  the  thickened  milk.  Pour 
upon  the  croutons  laid  in  the  bottom  of  the  tureen. 

BAR  HARBOR  CLAM  CHOWDER. 

Fifty  clams ;  quarter  of  a  pound  of  salt  pork,  sliced  ;  one  cup- 
ful of  potato-dice,  parboiled  ;  two  tablespoonfuls  of  flour,  stirred 
into  two  of  butter  ;  two  cupfuls  of  milk  (half  cream,  if  you  can  get 
it) ;  four  pilot  biscuits  ;  sweet  herbs,  minced  ;  salt  and  cayenne. 

Cook  the  clams  in  their  own  juice  for  ten  minutes  ;  strain  them 
out  and  set  aside  to  cool  before  they  are  chopped.  Fry  sliced 
pork  and  onion  together  ;  add  the  clam-liquor  and  the  parboiled 
potatoes,  and  cook  half  an  hour.  Then  add  the  chopped  clams, 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

cook  one  hour  and  put  in  the  broken  pilot-bread  soaked  in  but- 
ter and  water.  Heat  the  milk,  thicken  with  the  butter  and  flour, 
pour  into  the  tureen,  and,  after  it,  the  contents  of  the  soup- 
kettle.  Mix  up  well  and  serve. 

CLAM  BROTH. 

Two  dozen  clams  should  yield  a  scant  quart  of  liquor.  Strain 
it  all  from  them  and  heat  the  juice  to  a  boil ;  skim  off  the  scum 
and  drop  in  the  clams.  Cook  fifteen  minutes  and  strain  again,  now 
through  coarse  muslin,  back  into  the  saucepan,  and  season  with 
pepper  and  salt.  Have  ready  a  cupful  of  rich  milk  in  a  saucepan, 
stir  into  it  a  heaping  tablespoonful  of  butter  rolled  in  Bermuda 
arrow-root,  and  boil  two  minutes,  stirring  steadily.  Pour  this 
into  the  tureen,  and  upon  this  the  clam -soup. 

This  will  be  found  both  nourishing  and  delicious.  It  is  highly 
recommended  for  invalids.  A  teaspoonful  of  whipped  cream 
laid  upon  each  portion  of  the  broth  is  a  dainty  touch. 

BROILED  SARDINES. 

Drain  off  the  oil,  broil  on  both  sides  in  a  double  wire  broiler 
which  has  been  rubbed  with  a  raw  onion,  then  greased.  Have 
ready  as  many  slices  of  Graham  bread  as  you  have  sardines, 
toasted,  buttered,  and  sprinkled  with  cayenne  or  paprica  and 
salt.  Lay  a  sardine  on  each  and  squeeze  lemon-juice  upon  the 
fish. 

Or— 

You  may  give  a  foreign  touch  to  this  appetizing  entree  by  lay- 
ing the  broiled  sardines  upon  Holmes  &  Coutts'  Banquet  Wafers, 
which  have  been  toasted,  buttered,  and  salted,  with  a  dash  of 
cayenne,  and  covering  these  with  Parmesan  cheese.  Sift  cheese 
also  over  the  sardines,  and  set  in  the  oven  two  minutes  before 
serving. 

DUNDEE  EGGS. 

Boil  six  eggs  for  twenty-five  minutes  and  leave  them  in  cold 
water  for  an  hour.  Make  a  paste  of  one  cupful  of  cold  chopped 


528  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

ham,  two  tablespoonfuls  of  fine  crumbs,  and  the  same  quantity 
of  milk  ;  season  with  a  pinch  of  cayenne  and  half  a  teaspoon- 
ful  of  made  mustard.  Bind  with  a  raw  egg.  Peel  the  boiled 
eggs,  coat  them  with  this  mixture,  set  in  a  cold  place  for  an 
hour,  and  cook  three  minutes  in  hot,  deep  fat.  Serve  cold. 

MARY  HILL'S  FINGER-ROLLS. 

Heat  three  cupfuls  of  milk  to  a  boil  and  add  to  it  half  a  cupful 
of  butter,  half  a  teaspoonful  of  salt  and  two  dessertspoonfuls  of 
sugar.  Set  all  aside  until  lukewarm,  when  stir  into  it  the  whites 
of  three  eggs,  beaten  to  a  stiff  froth,  and  half  a  yeast  cake,  dis- 
solved in  a  little  warm  water.  Pour  upon  two  quarts  of  sifted 
flour,  work  into  a  dough,  and  knead  fifteen  minutes.  Let  it 
rise  over  night.  In  the  morning  cut  and  slash  the  dough  down 
with  a  sharp  knife  and  let  it  rise  again.  When  light  once  more, 
pull  it  into  long  finger -rolls  and  bake  to  a  delicate  brown. 

FRIED  GREEN  TOMATOES. 

Cut  green  tomatoes  into  thick  slices,  sprinkle  with  salt  and 
pepper,  roll  in  egg  and  cracker  crumbs  and  fry  in  deep  cottolene, 
as  you  would  egg-plant.  Serve  with  bacon,  broiled  ham,  or 
other  meat,  or  as  a  vegetable. 

EGG-PLANT  FARCE. 

Halve  a  fine  egg-plant  with  care  and  scrape  out  the  inside, 
leaving  the  walls  an  inch  thick.  Chop  the  pulp  taken  out  with 
the  pulp  (not  the  seeds)  of  two  ripe  tomatoes,  season  well  with 
butter,  pepper,  and  salt,  and  mix  with  a  tablespoonful  of  dry 
crumbs.  With  this  mixture  stuff  the  hollowed  egg-plant,  bind 
the  sides  together  with  soft  string,  put  into  your  covered  roaster, 
dash  a  cupful  of  boiling  water  over  it,  cover  closely  and  steam 
for  an  hour.  Turn  the  egg-plant  and  cook  for  half  an  hour 
longer.  Remove  the  strings,  peel  the  vegetable  deftly  and 
serve.  Pass  drawn  butter  with  it.  In  helping,  cut  into  slices 
an  inch  thick,  breaking  the  stuffing  as  little  as  possible.  The 
walls  of  the  egg-plant  should  be  tender  all  through. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  $2$ 

EGG-PLANT  FAROE  WITH  GREEN  PEPPERS. 

Cook  as  directed  in  the  last  recipe,  but  substitute  green 
peppers,  seeded  and  minced,  for  the  tomato-pulp  in  making  the 
stuffing. 

CREAM  TOMATO  SALAD. 

Pour  boiling  water  over  large  ripe  tomatoes  to  loosen  the 
skins,  strip  these  off  quickly  and  set  the  tomatoes  on  ice  for  sev- 
eral hours.  Cut  each  in  half  just  before  they  are  to  be  served, 
sprinkle  lightly  with  salt  and  paprica,  lay  upon  a  cold  plate  that 
has  been  rubbed  with  garlic,  and  heap  a  great  spoonful  of 
whipped  cream  upon  it. 

Do  not  be  afraid  to  try  this  unusual  combination.  You  will 
find  it  delicious. 

SALADE  AU  NHX 

Boil  seven  eggs  for  twenty  minutes,  and  when  cold  remove  the 
yolks  and  mash  them  to  a  paste  with  an  equal  quantity  of  Neuf- 
chatel  cream  cheese.  Season  this  with  a  half  teaspoonful  of  salt, 
and  half  as  much  paprica,  or  a  pinch  of  cayenne,  and  make  into 
egg-shaped  balls.  Line  a  salad  dish  with  crisp  lettuce-leaves, 
shred  the  whites  of  the  eggs  as  fine  as  possible,  and  form  a  nest 
of  these  upon  the  leaves.  In  this  place  the  egg-balls  and  mask 
them  with  a  white  mayonnaise.  (See  Salads.) 

The  salad  is  improved  if  the  dressing  is  poured  over  it  about 
ten  minutes  before  serving. 

VEAL  LOAF. 

Two  pounds  of  leg  or  loin  veal,  chopped  very  fine;  quarter  of 
a  pound  of  salt  pork,  chopped  with  the  veal ;  quarter  of  a  cupful 
of  milk ;  half  a  cupful  of  cracker-crumbs ;  two  eggs ;  one  tea- 
spoonful  of  pepper  ;  two  teaspoonfuls  of  salt ;  one  teaspoonful  of 
onion-juice ;  one  teaspoonful  of  kitchen-bouquet ;  quarter  of  a 
cupful  of  butter. 

Mix  all  the  ingredients  but  the  last  together,  mould  into  a  loaf, 
and  place  in  a  pan,  dot  with  the  butter  and  sprinkle  with  flour. 
34 


53O  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 

Bake  one  hour.  Remove  to  a  hot  dish,  thicken  the  gravy  in 
the  pan  with  a  tablespoonful  of  flour,  brown,  add  half  a  pint  of 
boiling  water,  stir  until  smooth,  with  one  teaspoonful  of  Worces- 
tershire sauce,  and  pour  over  meat. 

FRUIT  BOUILLON. 

One  quart  of  tart  cherries,  or  three  cupfuls  of  raspberries  and 
one  of  currants ;  three  cupfuls  of  cold  water ;  half  a  cupful  of 
sugar  ;  one  even  tablespoonful  of  corn-starch. 

Cook  the  fruit  tender,  rub  through  a  colander,  then  through  a 
sieve,  add  the  sugar,  return  to  the  fire  and  thicken  with  corn- 
starch  wet  up  in  cold  water.  Cook  two  minutes  after  the  boil  is 
reached,  stirring  all  the  time,  and  turn  into  a  bowl.  You  can, 
if  you  like,  add  a  glass  of  claret  when  it  is  cold. 

Serve  the  bouillon  cold  in  punch-glasses,  half-full  of  cracked 
ice. 

STRAWBERRY  SAUCE. 

Add  to  half  a  pint  of  cream,  whipped  light,  half  a  pint  of 
fresh  strawberries,  crushed  fine  and  sweetened  to  taste.  Beat 
all  well  together.  There  will  be  enough  for  eight  persons.  It 
is  eaten  with  blanc-mange,  jelly,  and  cold  farina  pudding. 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  531 


MENU 


Englteb  Sinner 


RAW    OYSTERS 

CLEAR    SOUP 

BAKED    STURGEON 

POTATOES   X    LA   PARISIENNE 

ROAST    SWEETBREADS   WITH    SAUCE    SUPREME 

ROAST    SADDLE    OF    MUTTON 

BRUSSELS    SPROUTS 

BOILED    TURNIPS 

JUGGED    HARE    WITH    CURRANT    JELLY 

LETTUCE   AND   CELERY    SALAD   WITH   MAYONNAISE   DRESSING 

PLUM    TART   WITH    WHIPPED   CREAM 

FRUIT    AND    NUTS 

COFFEE 

HORS    D'OZUVRES 
OLIVES.     PRESERVED   GINGER.     DAMSON   CHEESE. 


532  THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK 


MENU 


German  dinner 


CAVIARE    BARS 

CLEAR   BROWN   SOUP  WITH    NOODLES 

FLOUNDER    FILLETS    WITH    SAUCE    TARTARE 

LYONNAISE    POTATOES 

BREADED    SAUSAGES 

RICE    LOAVES 
BRAISED    BREAST    OF   VEAL   WITH    OYSTER   SAUCE 

BEET   TOPS 
STUFFED    ONIONS 

CROQUETTES    OF   LAMBS'    LIVERS   WITH    SAUCE    ALLEMANDE 
RUSSIAN   TOMATO    AND    SARDINE    SALAD 

JELLY   OMELET 
PEARS    AND    GRAPES 

COFFEE 

HORS  D'CEUVRES 
PATE    DE    FOIE    GRAS.      PICKLED    BEETS.      OLIVES 


THE  NATIONAL   COOK  BOOK  533 


MENU 


frencb  Sinner 

JULIENNE   PRINTANIERE 

SALMON  WITH  SAUCE  HOLLANDAISE 

POMMES  DE  TERRE  SOUFFLES 

FRENCH    CHOPS    WITH    cfiPES    A    LA    BORDELAISE 
(8KB  "A  Dainty  Dish,"  p.  131) 

FILET   DE   BCEUF   WITH    SAUCE   CHATEAUBRIAND 
FRENCH    SPINACH 
BROILED    SQUABS 

LETTUCE   AND   ENDIVE    SALAD   WITH    FRENCH   DRESSING 

NESSELRODE  PUDDING 

FRUIT 

COFFEE 

MARASCHINO 

HORS    D'CEUVRES 

OLIVES.      STUFFED   DATES.      RADISHES 


534  THE  NATIONAL    COOK  BOOK 

MENU 


Italian  Dinner 


CREAM  OF  CELERY  SOUP 
PARMESAN  CHEESE,  PASSED  WITH  SOUP 

OYSTER  PATE'S 
CALF'S  HEAD  AU  GRATIN 

FRIED  POLENTA 

ROAST  TURKEY  STUFFED  WITH  CHESTNUTS 

STEWED  ARTICHOKES 

RICE  AND  TOMATO 

MACARONI  DI  LUCCA 

BROILED  SNIPES 

LETTUCE  AND  CHICORY  SALAD  WITH  FRENCH  DRESSING 

FIG  PUDDING  WITH  BRANDY  SAUCE 

MANDARINS.    ORANGES.    GRAPES 

COFFEE 

HORS    D'OZUVRES 
OLIVES.      CANDIED    FRUITS.     CELERY 


INDEX 


ALEWIVES,  smoked,  68 
Almonds,  salted,  6 
Ambrosia,  461 
Anchovy  bars,  3 

croutons,  463 

strips,  3 
Appetizers,  I 

Apple  compote  au  gratin,  394 
Apple  pop-overs,  396,  458 
Apples,  396 

and  bacon,  146 

canned,  487 
Apricots,  brandied,  496 

preserved,  494 
Artichokes,  278 

boiled,  278 

fried,  278 

Asparagus  a  la  vinaigrette,  257 
Asparagus,  boiled,  257 

pates,  258 

scalloped,  257 

tips,  258 
Aspic,  cucumber,  299 

jelly,  106,  162 

mayonnaise,  296 

tomato,  299 

BACON  AND  EGGS,  143 

breakfast,  fried,  143 

on  toast,  3 
Baking  powders,  343 
Bananas  and  cream,  459 

and  wine,  459 

baked,  279 

croquettes,  279 

fried,  279 
Bass,  boiled,  55 

grilled,  55 
Beans  a  la  Lyonnaise,  252 


Beans,  kidney,  252 

Lima,  251 

stewed,  251 
Beef  a  la  mode,  98 
Beef,  braised,  a  la  Jardiniere,  96 
round  of,  96 

chipped,  1 08 

corned,  102 

and  dumplings,  103 
pressed,  104 

curried  roast,  101 

fillet,  99 

Hamburg  steaks,  101 

hash  cakes,  101 

mignon  fillets,  99 

mince  of,  and  potatoes,  IO2 

mock  hare,  107 

moulded,  106 

rib  roast  of,  95 
,      roast, with  Yorkshire  pudding,97 

rolled  roast  of,  96 

roulettes,  107 

stew,  100 

to  corn,  103 
Beef's  heart,  stuffed,  108 

tongue  (fresh),  boiled,  105 
braised,  105 

tongue,  jellied,  106 

(smoked)  boiled,  105 
Beefsteak  and  onions,  100 

broiled,  99 

Chateaubriand,  with  mushrooms, 

99 

pudding,  Ruth  Pinch's,  100 

rolled,  braised,  97 
Beet  greens,  264 

tops,  264 
Beets  (old),  boiled,  264 

(young),  boiled,  263 


536 


INDEX 


Beets,  graham,  345 
Biscuits,  tea,  345 

whole-wheat,  345 
Blackberries,  458 

brandied,  497 
Blackberry  cordial,  476 

vinegar,  475 
Blanc-mange,  chocolate,  441 

cocoanut,  447 

coffee,  441 

cornstarch,  with  brandied  peach- 
es, 440 

narcissus,  442 

plain,  439 

tapioca,  440 

tea,  coffee,  and  chocolate,  441 

tutti-frutti,  439 
Bloaters,  smoked,  68 
Bluefish,  broiled,  50 

fillets,  55 
Bouillon,  12 

chicken,  16 
_  fruit,  530 
Brains  (beef's  or  calf's),  scalloped, 

122 

Brandied  fruits,  496 
Bread,  braided,  339 
Boston  brown,  338 
quick,  339 
steamed,  338 
corn-,  loaf,  347 
boiled,  348 
graham,  336 
home-made,    set    with    sponge, 

334 

pulled,  No.  i,  342 
No.  2,  342 

whole-wheat,  338 
Broccoli,  261 
Broths,  1 8 
Brunettes,  5 
Brussels  sprouts,  261 
Bun-loaf,  English,  368 
Butter-fish,  fried,  60 

CABBAGE  au  maftre  d'hotel,  260 
Cabbage,  boiled,  259 

creamed,  259 

scalloped,  259 

•'with  cheese,  260 

sprouts,  261 

Stockholm,  stewed,  260 


Cafe  au  lait,  473 
Cake,  almond,  363 
apple,  363 

bun-loaf,  English,  368 
cocoanut  loaf,  No.  I,  367 

No.  2,  367 
cream,  362 

chocolate,  365 
cup,  359 

white,  361 
currant,  364 
filling,  apple,  363 

caramel,  366 

chocolate,  366 

cocoanut,  No.  i,  366 
No.  2,  367 

coffee,  367 

cream,  365 
chocolate,  365 

raspberry,  366 
fruit-,  Christmas,  368 

wedding-,  369 
gold,  360 

green-and-silver,  361 
jelly  roll,  368 

quick,  363 
marbled,  360 
nut,  365 
orange,  361 
orange  layer,  362 
pink-and-silver,  361 
pound,  No.  i,  358 

No.  2,  359 
raisin  and  citron,  364 
seedless  raisin,  364 
silver,  360 
sponge,  No.  i,  359 

No.  2,  359 
tea,  blueberry,  417 

English,  417 

huckleberry,  417 
wedding-,  fruit,  369 
Cakes  and  cake-making,  357 
almond  (small),  369 
Boston  cream,  370 
Calf's  head  au  gratin,  117 
Calf's  head,  boiled,  118 
fried,  118 
timbales  of,  118 
Candy,  chocolate  caramels,  481 

creams,  481 
cream  peppermints,  483 


INDEX 


537 


Candy,  cream  wintergreens,  483 

French  bon-bons,  482 

maple  cream,  483 

sugar,  No.  I,  481 
No.  2,  482 

nougat,  482 
Canned  fruits,  484 

apples,  487 

corn,  488 

peaches,  486 

pears,  487 

plums,  487 

tomatoes,  487 

and  corn,  488 
Cantelopes,  spiced,  492 
Carrots,  mashed,  272 

saute,  272 

stewed,  271 

winter,  creamed,  272 

young,  i  la  Parisienne,  271 

creamed,  271 
Catfish,  fried,  63 

stewed,  63 
Catsup,  apple  chutney,  508 

butternut,  507 

chili  sauce,  508 

cucumber.  507 

grape,  508 

mushroom,  507 

tomato,  506 

walnut,  506 

Cauliflower  au  gratin,  253 
Cauliflower,  baked,  254 

boiled,  253 

with  tomato  sauce,  253 

Parisian  style,  253 

stewed,  a  la  Hollandaise,  254 
Caviare  bars,  3 
Caviare  saute,  2 
Celery  au  gratin,  281 
Celery,  creamed,  280 

fried,  281 

savory,  280 

stewed  wh  le,  280 
Chafing-dish,  with  the,  520 

Celery  chicken,  524 

Celery  lobster,  522 
oysters,  521 

Chicken  rechauffe,  Lake  Forest, 
524 

Chicken  terrapin,  524 

Clams  saute,  521 


Chafing-dish, with  the  (Continued): — 
Deviled  beef,  523 
kidneys,  523 
oysters,  520 
sardines,  521 
Eggs  with  kidneys,  523 
"  Hot  chicken  salad,"  524 
Hungarian  mushrooms,  522 
Oysters  with  anchovy,  521 
Savory  sausages,  524 
Shrimps  with  anchovy  sauce,  522 

with  tomato  sauce,  522 
Sweetbreads  with  asparagus  tips, 

525 

Swiss  Welsh  rarebit,  a,  525 
Charlotte  Russe,  No.  i,  448 
No.  2,  448 
No.  3,  448 
strawberry,  446 

Cheese  and  tongue  ramakins,  212 
Cheese  balls,  213 
cottage,  214 
cream,  home-made,  214 
crofistades,  213 
deviled  crackers  and,  212 
fingers,  212 
Fondu  au  gratin,  211 
ramakins,  212 
souffle,  2ii 
straws,  213 

Cherries,  brandied,  497 
pickled,  500 
preserved,  495 

German  mode,  496 
spiced,  492 

Chestnut  rofilettes,  291 
Chicken  and  macaroni  a  la  Milanaise, 

156 

Chicken  and  oysters,  boiled,  152 
rice,  boiled,  151 

mould  of,  163 
sweetbread  croquettes,  164 
baked  with  ham,  156 
braised,  154 
broiled,  155 

cold,  164 
casserole  of,  159 
croquettes,  164 
cutlets,  156 
deviled,  fried,  155 
deviled,  with  oyster  sauce,  157 
fricassee  of,  a  la  reine,  161 


538 


INDEX 


Chicken,  fricasseed,  brown,  153 

white,  152 
fried,  152 
Hungarian,  161 
jellied,  162 
pates,  165 

filling  for,  165 
pie,  158 

English,  158 
prairie,  roast,  176 
pudding,  Marseilles  boiled,  163 
fried,  155 
roast,  150 
scallop,  164 
smothered,  154 
timbales,  157 
Turkish,  with  rice,  162 
Chocolate,  473 
milled,  474 

Chowder,  clam,  No.  I,  42 
No.  2,  42 
and  oyster,  43 
Bar  Harbor,  526 
corn,  26 

and  tomato,  26 
fish,  No.  i,  43 
No.  2,  44 
New  Jersey,  44 
Clam  bisque,  39 

creamed,  40 
Florida,  39 
broth,  527 

chowder,  Bar  Harbor,  526 
fritters,  76 
pie,  76 
soup,  38 

Clams,  baked,  75 
creamed,  75 
how  to  open,  74 
raw,  2 
roast,  74 
scalloped,  76 

deviled,  75 
Claret  cup,  478 
Cocoa,  474 

nibs,  474 
Cod,  boiled,  64 
steaks,  64 
Codfish  balls,  68 
Codfish,  fresh,  scalloped,  64 

salt,  creamed,  67 
Coffee,  472 


Coffee,  after-dinner  or  black,  473 
breakfast,  472 
frappe,  457 

Cookies,  molasses,  373 
picnic,  373 
Pompton,  372 
spice,  372 
sugar,  373 
Cocktails,  oyster,  No.  I,  2 

No.  2,  2 

Corn,  boiled,  243 
canned,  244 
fritters,  244 
stewed,  243 

and  tomatoes,  244 
Corn-bread,  boiled,  348 

loaf,  347 
Crab  bisque,  526 
Crabs  au  gratin,  87 
Crabs,  deviled,  87 
fricassee  of,  87 
hard,  85 

scalloped  with  mushrooms,  86 
soft-shell,  broiled,  85 

saute,  85 
Welsh  rarebit,  86 
Cream,  Bavarian,  439 
raspberry,  444 
rose,  446 

strawberry,  French,  444 
whipped,  449 
Cresslets,  5 
Croquettes,  chicken,  164 

and  sweetbread,  164 
hominy  and  meat,  282 

plain,  283 
lobster,  82 
potato-,  No.  i,  225 

No.  2,  225 
rice,  No.  i,  235 
No.  2,  236 
and  giblets,  236 
mushrooms,  236 
sweetbreads,  237 
salmon,  58 
shad  roe,  53 
sweetbreads,  121 

and  brains,  121 
sweet  potatoes,  229 

and  chestnut,  230 
Crullers  and  doughnuts,  373 
nonpareil,  374 


INDEX 


539 


Crullers,  Powhatan,  374 

sour  cream,  374 
Cucumber  aspic,  299 
Cucumbers,  creamed,  267 

deviled,  266 

fried,  266 

in  batter,  266 

scalloped,  No.  I,  267 
No.  2,  267 

stewed,  265 

stuffed,  265 
Currants,  frosted,  459 

spiced,  492 
Custard,  chocolate,  437 

strawberry,  437 
Custards,  arrow-root,  438 

baked,  437 

boiled,  436 

general  rules  for,  436 

orange,  438 

tapioca,  440 

DANDELION  GREENS,  264 
Dates,  stuffed,  483 
Doughnuts,  New  England,  375 

quick,  375 
Duck  and  green  pease,  ragout  of, 

173 
Duck,  braised,  171 

salmi  of,  172 
Ducklings,  roast,  172 
Ducks,     redhead    or     canvasback, 

broiled,  176 
roasted,  176 
roast,  171 
st*wed,  171 
Dumplings,  apple,  385 

baked,  387 
blackberry,  387 
cherry,  385 

baked,  387 
farmers',  386 
peach,  385 

and  rice,  386 
canned,  387 
rice  and  apple,  385 
strawberry,  384 

EASTER  EGGS  (sweet),  442 
Eclairs,  370 
Eels,  fried,  66 
stewed,  66 


Egg  and  chicken  timbales,  199 
and  tongue  pates,  198 
baskets,  197 
.cups  and  anchovies,  197 

and  sardines,  197 
cups  and  tongue,  198 

with  tomatoes,  197 
flummery,  199 
nogg,  479 
plant,  broiled,  270 

farcie,  528 

fried,  No.  i,  269 
No.  2,  269 

stuffed,  270 
Eggs  a  la  creme,  191 
a  la  Lyonnaise,  191 
a  la  Milanaise,  193 
and  asparagus,  206 

bacon,  195 

barbecued  ham,  196 

mushrooms,  196 

rice,  200 

tomatoes,  195 
boiled,  1 88 
breaded,  196 
buttered,  194 
creamed,  poached,  190 

scrambled,  193 
curried,  192 
deviled,  192,  523 
dropped,  190 
Dundee,  527 
Easter  (sweet),  442 
fancy  dishes  of,  197 
fried,  No.  i,  195 

No.  2,  195 
jonquil,  193 
Neapolitan,  196 
poached,  190 

in  consomme,  191 
powdered,  192 
savory,  191 
scrambled,  193 

with  shad  roes,  194 
shirred,  189 
steamed,  189 
stirred,  194 
stuffed,  20 1 

and  baked,  2OI 

cold,  201 

Swedish  dish  of,  194 
timbales,  199 


540 


INDEX 


FAMILIAR  TALKS  : 

A  Woman's  Luncheon,  291 

A  Word  About  Pots  and  Pans, 

173 

An  Inexpensive  Luncheon,  206 

Bread,  329 

Children's  Diet,  510 

Dust,  Dusting,  and  Dusters,  418 

Kitchen  Physic,  183 

Something  About  Sauces,  313 

Tea,    Tea  -  making,    and    Tea- 
drinking,  214 

The  Dignity  of  Economy,  45 

The  "  Quick  "  Luncheon,  354 

Wholesale  or  Retail  ?  399 

Wrinkles     for      Housekeepers, 

90 

Finnan  haddie,  68 
Fish  cutlets,  60 

fillets,  60 

saute,  60 

scalloped,  61 

steaks,  60 

Flapjacks,  Indian  meal,  352 
Floating  Island,  plain,  438 

strawberry,  438 
Flounder  fillets,  59 
Flounders,  broiled,  50 
Flour,  whole-wheat,  337 
Flummery,  raspberry,  444 
French  dressing  for  salads,  297 
Fritter  batter,  No.  I,  409 

No.  2,  409 

No.  3,  410 
Fritters,  apple,  411 

banana,  412 

bread,  413 

clam,  76 

corn,  244 

cream,  411 

custard,  410 

jelly  cake,  412 

nut,  411 

orange,  412 

peach,  410 

potato,  228,  413 

rusk,  412 

squash,  269 

strawberry,  414 

Swiss,  413 
Frogs'  legs,  fried,  89 

stewed,  90 


GEMS,  gluten,  347 

graham,  345 

rice,  347 

Gingerbread,  eggless,  No.  I,  376 
No.  2,  376 

loaf,  376 

raisin,  376 

sugar,  375 
Gingersnaps,  No.  I,  372 

No.  2,  372 
Golden  Buck,  No.  I,  210 

No.  2,  211 

No.  3,  211 
Goose,  braised,  170 

German  ragout  of,  170 

roast,  169 
Grape-fruit,  8 
Grapes,  9 

spiced,  492 
Grayling,  62 
Griddle-cakes,  350 

bread-and-milk,  352 

buckwheat,  351 

flannel,  No.  I,  351 
No.  2,  351 
without  eggs,  351 

hominy,  352 

rice,  352 
Grisini,  340 
Grouse,  broiled  (larded),  177 

roast,  176 

salmi  of,  177 

HADDIE,  finnan,  68 
Halibut,  baked,  55 

loaf,  64  • 

steaks  a  la  Jardiniere,  56 

boiled  au  gratin,  56 

broiled,  56 
Ham  and  eggs,  142 

broiled,  143 

Sunnybank,  141 
and  potato  balls,  143 
baked,  140 
barbecued,  142 
boiled,  139 
breaded,  139 

saute,  142 
broiled,  141 
fried,  142 
pates,  144 
smothered,  141 


INDEX 


541 


Ham,  stuffed,  140 
Hare,  jugged,  181 

mock,  107 
Hare,  roast,  181 
Hen's  nest,  a,  201 
Herrings,  smoked,  68 
Hominy,  281 

and  meat  croquettes,  282 

baked  (small),  282 

boiled  (large),  282 

browned  (large),  282 

croquettes  (plain),  283 

fried,  283 

ICE,  cherry,  456 

coffee  frappe,  457 
Ice-cream,  banana,  454 

brown-bread,  454 

chocolate,  452 

coffee,  452 

currant  and  raspberry,  456 

Delmonico,  451 

frozen  pudding,  453 

fruit,  with  fruit  frozen  in,  453 

ginger,  457 

lemon,  453 

mousse,  raspberry,  456 
strawberry,  455 

Nesselrode  pudding,  454 

self-freezing,  452 

tutti-frutti,  453 
Ice,  currant,  455 

and  raspberry,  455 

fruit  surprise,  454 

ginger,  457 

lemon  or  sherbet,  455 

orange,  455 

raspberry,  457 

Roman  punch,  456 

strawberry,  456 
Icing,  boiled  or  fondant,  377 

chocolate,  377 

plain,  377 
Irish  stew,  131 

JAM,  blackberry,  490 

damson,  491 

gooseberry,  490 

raspberry,  490 

strawberry,  490 
Jelly,  apple,  490 

blackberry,  489 


Jelly,  cider,  450 

claret,  450 

crab-apple,  489 

currant,  489 

grape,  489 

lemon,  450 

orange,  French,  446 

peach,  490 

quince,  490 

strawberries  in,  445 

strawberry,  489 

wine,  450 
Julep,  ginger-ale,  478 

mint,  478 
Jumbles,  No.  i,  371 

No.  2,  371 

KIDNEYS,  deviled,  135 

stewed  with  wine,  134 

stuffed,  136 

toasted,  135 

with  bacon,  135 
Kohl-Rabi,  261 

LADY-FINGERS,  371 
Lamb  and  mutton,  126 
Lamb,  barbecued,  133 
braised  breast  of,  127 
chops,  128 

a  dainty  dish,  131 
a  la  Milanaise,  132 
breaded,  128 
creamed,  129 
leg  of,  roast,  126 
minced  balls  of,  133 
shoulder  of,  roast,  127 
stewed,  and  green  pease,  130 
Lard,  apropos  to,  146 
Lemonade,  475 
Lettuce,  boiled,  268 

steamed,  268 

Liver,  calf's,  a  la  Jardiniere,  122 
a  la  mode,  125 
and  bacon,  123 
braised,  125 
pate,  124 
saute,  124 
stewed,  123 
stuffed,  124 
pigs,  and  bacon,  145 
Lobster  a  la  brochette,  83 
a  la  Newburg,  No.  I,  82 


542 


INDEX 


Lobster  a  la  Newburg,  No.  2,  83 
No.  3,  83 

and  mushroom  fricassee,  82 

and  oyster  ragout,  80 

broiled,  78 

buttered,  79 

chops,  80 

creamed,  80 

croquettes,  82 

curried,  81 

deviled,  81 

farcied,  79 

fried,  84 

gumbo,  84 
Lobsters,  how  to  open,  77 

MACARONI  AND  HAM,  241 

and  tomato,  baked,  241 

au  gratin,  239 

di  Lucca,  240 

Spanish  style,  240 

stewed,  a  la  Turque,  242 
Macaroons,  370 

cocoanut,  371 
Mackerel,  fresh,  broiled,  50 

salt,  boiled,  66 
broiled,  66 

with  tomato  sauce,  67 
Marmalade,  apricot,  491 

orange,  491 

peach,  491 
Mayonnaise,  aspic,  296 

dressing,  295 

green,  red,  white,  296 
Meats,  94 
Melons,  458 
Milk  shake,  479 
Muffins,  buttermilk,  348 

corn-meal,  348 

hominy,  349 

minute,  349 

mush,  348 

Mushroom  cups,  288 
Mushrooms,  284 

and  bacon,  broiled,  287 

fried,  288 

scrambled  eggs,  290 
shirred  eggs,  290 

au  gratin,  289 

aux  fines  herbes,  290 

baked  (plain),  288 

broiled,  No.  i,  286 


Mushrooms,  broiled,  No.  2,  287 

No.  3,  465 
creamed,  289 
fried,  287 

au  maitre  d'hotel,  287 
scalloped,  289 
stewed  in  wine,  289 
Mutton  and  rice,  mould  of,  133 
Mutton,  boiled,  129 
chops,  128 

braised,  132 
stuffed,  128 
game,  129 
leg  of,  stuffed,  127 
shoulder  of,  boned,  130 

NURSERY  TABLE,  THE,  513 
Bread,  corn-,  515 

graham,  515 
Brewis,  graham,  516 
Celery,  stewed,  519 
Crackers,  toasted,  516 
Hominy  boiled  in  milk,  514 
Macaroni,  stewed,  519 
Mush,  514 

Oatmeal  porridge,  514 
Oyster  plant,  stewed,  519 
Panada,  517 
Potato  puff,  517 
Potato,  scalloped,  517 
Potatoes,  stewed,  517 
whole.  518 

stuffed,  517 

sweet,  buttered,  518 
puff,  518 
scalloped,  518 
Porridge,  oatmeal,  514 

rice,  515 

Pudding,  hasty,  514 
Rice  and  tomato,  519 
Rice  porridge,  515 
Toast,  milk,  516 
Tomatoes,  scalloped,  518 

OLIVE  AND  CAPER  BARS,  6 
Olives,  stuffed,  465 
Omelet  and  shad  roes,  205 
Omelet,  apple,  435 

asparagus,  205 

aux  confitures,  434 
fines  herbes,  204 

cheese,  205 


INDEX 


543 


Omelet,  clam,  204 
corn,  205 
frothed,  202 
jelly,  435 
mushroom,  204 
plain,  202 
sausage,  203 
souffle,  baked,  434 

fried,  434 
Spanish,  206 
tomato,  No.  I,  203 

No.  2,  203 
with  green  pease,  203 

smoked  beef,  203 
Onions,  baked,  263 

Bermuda,  stuffed,  263 
boiled,  262 
young,  stewed,  262 
Orangeade,  475 
Oranges,  9,  458 
Oyster  cocktails,  No.  I,  2 
No.  2,  2 
pates,  72 
pie,  72 
Oysters,  broiled,  No.  I,  70 

No.  2,  70 
creamed,  69 
curried,  72 
fried,  70 

a  la  brochette,  73 

au  supreme,  70 
panned,  No.  I,  69 

No.  2,  70 
raw,  2 

roast,  a  la  brochette,  73 
roasted,  69 
scalloped,  71 

au  supreme,  71 

PANCAKES,  green  pea,  251 

queen's,  413 
Panfish,  fried,  60 
Parsnip  cakes,  275 
Parsnips,  buttered,  275 

creamed,  276 

fried,  275 

Partridges,  roast,  178 
Pastry,  424 
Peaches,  458 

and  cream,  459 

brandied,  496 
Peanuts,  salted,  7 


Pears,  458 

and  cream,  459 
Pease,  black-eyed,  252 
canned,  250 
green,  250 
plain  puree  of,  251 
puree  of,  250 
Pepper  baskets,  274 
Pepper  mangoes,  504 
Peppers,  green,  au  gratin,  273 
sweet,  fried,  273 

stuffed,  273 
Perch,  fried,  60 
Pickerel,  creamed,  63 

fried,  63 

Pickles  (sour),  498 
butternuts,  503 
cabbage,  501 
cauliflower,  500 
cherries,  500 
chow-chow  (English),  501 

(Southern),  502 
cucumbers,  sliced,  499 

small,  498 
mangoes,  503 

pepper,  504 
mixed,  465 
onions,  499 
picklette,  500 
soy,  green  tomato,  502 
string-beans,  499 
walnuts,  503 
Pickles  (sweet),  504 

peaches  (peeled),  504 

(unpeeled),  504 
pears  (peeled),  505 

(unpeeled),  505 
plums,  505 
watermelon  rind,  505 
Pie,  amber  lemon,  432 
apple,  No.  i,  426 

No.  2,  426 

cream,  426 

custard,  427 

meringue,  427 
cherry,  No.  i,  429 

No.  2,  429 
cocoanut,  431 

custard,  431 
custard,  431 
gooseberry  (ripe),  430 
how  to  make  a,  424 


544 


INDEX 


Pie,  lemon,  No.  i,  431 
No.  2,  432 
amber  or  ' '  transparent,"  432 

mince,  425 

orange,  431 

peach  and  almond,  427 
cobbler,  428 
meringue,  427 
open,  428 
whole,  427 
with  whipped  cream,  428 

pumpkin,  425 

rhubarb,  430 

rice-and-raisin,  426 

strawberry,  429 
Pigeon  pie,  179 
Pigeons,  braised  with  mushrooms,  179 

curried,  180 

jugged,  English,  179 

mock,  115 

roast  (wild),  178 
Pigs'  feet,  boiled,  144 

breaded,  145 
Pineapple  and  wine,  460 

in  the  shell,  460 
Polenta,  283 

savory,  a  1'Italienne,  284 
Pommes  de  terre  souffles,  226 
Pop-overs,  395 

apple,  396 
Pork,  136 

and  beans,  146 

chops,  137 

pie,  Yorkshire,  139 

pot-pie,  138 

roast,  137 

spare -rib,  138 

steaks,  138 

tenderloin,  138 
Potato,  casserole  of,  224 

croquettes,  No.  I,  225 
No.  2,  225 

dice,  baked,  227 

fritters,  228 

moulded,  224 

omelet,  227 

scones,  223 

souffle,  226 

turnovers,  223 
Potatoes  a  la  creme,  225 
Potatoes,  baked,  stuffed,  227 
Swedish,  227 


Potatoes,  baked,  whole,  227 
boiled,  au  naturel,  222 
fried,  225 
Lyonnaise,  224 
mashed,  222 
moulded,  mashed,  223 
new,  223 
Saratoga,  226 
stewed  whole,  223 
sweet,  228 

au  gratin,  229 
baked,  228 
boiled,  228 
creamed,  229 
croquettes,  229 

and  chestnut,  230 
puff,  229 
saute,  229 
Poultry,  149 

Pousse-cafe,  a  Virginia,  464 
Preserved  cherries,  495 

German  mode,  496 
peaches,  493 
pears,  494 
pineapple,  495 
plums,  494 
quinces,  494 
strawberries,  496 
water-melon,  495 
Pudding,  apple,  380 

and  tapioca,  392 
compote  au  gratin,  394 
arrow-root,  439 
blackberry,  baked,  388 

raised,  384 
bread,  389 

and  jam,  No.  I,  390 

No.  2,  390 

brown  betty,  steamed,  381 
cabinet,  steamed,  382- 
cherry,  383 

and  currant,  383 
chocolate  souffle,  395 
cottage,  393 
date,  380 

English  biscuit,  391 
fruit,  381 
potato,  382 
farina  souffle,  391 
fig,  380 
frozen,  453 
huckleberry,  baked,  386 


INDEX 


545 


Pudding,  Indian,  389 

steamed,  380 
La  Regina,  397 

lemon,  396 

boiled,  384 
macaroni,  388 

souffle,  397 
orange,  394,  396 

roly-poly,  381 
peach,  380 

batter,  388 
pineapple,  395 
plum,  378 

quick,  379 

steamed,  379 
prune  souffle,  No.  I,  394 

No.  2,  394 

queen  of  puddings,  399 
raspberry,  383 
rhubarb,  398 

and  tapioca,  398 
rice-and-raisin,  393 
rice-custard,  No.  I,  393 

No.  2,  393 

plain,  392 
sago,  392 
snow,  447 
strawberry,  382 
sweet  potato,  389 
tapioca,  391 
vermicelli,  398 

souffle,  398 
Victoria,  449 
Puff-paste,  a  good,  424 

QUAILS,  broiled,  178 
roast,  177 

RABBITS,  Bordeaux,  stewed,  180 

roast.  181 

Raspberry  flummery,  444 
royal,  476 
vinegar,  475 

Rice  and  giblet  pudding,  238 
sausage,  239 
tomato,  234 
boiled,  232 
broiled,  234 
buttered,  235 
casserole  of,  239 
cheese  and,  232 
Swiss,  235 


Rice  croquettes,  No.  i,  235 
No.  2,  236 
and  giblet,  236 
mushroom,  236 
sweetbread,  237 
curry,  baked,  233 
fried,  235 
loaves,  233 
pilau,  No.  i,  238 

No.  2,  238 
saute,  234 
savory,  a  la  Milanaise,  232 

mould  of,  237 
with  tomato  sauce,  233 
Rolls,  breakfast,  341 

crescent,  or  horseshoe,  339 
finger,  340 

Mary  Hill's,  528 
grisini,  340 
tea,  No.  I,  340 
No.  2,  341 
Vienna,  340 
Roux,  brown,  21 
white,  20 

and  brown,  to  keep,  316 
Rusk,  346 

SALAD,  asparagus,  305 
au  nid,  529 
beet,  stuffed,  300 
cabbage,  305 
cauliflower,  305 
celery,  304 

and  apple,  304 
radish,  304 
tomato  jelly,  304 
chestnut,  312 

and  walnut,  312 
chicken,  310 
chicory,  300 
crab,  308 

soft-shell,  308 
cream  tomato,  529 
cress,  300 
cucumber,  301 

stuffed,  301 
dandelion,  300 

and  beet,  303 

dressing,  boiled,  J*Jo.  i,  298 
No.      2     (with     whipped 

cream),  298 
No.  3,  298 


546 


INDEX 


Salad  dressing,  boiled,  No.  4,  299 

French,  297 

mayonnaise,  295 
egg,  No.  i,  306 

No.  2,  306 
endive,  300 
fish,  a  1'Espagnol,  309 

French,  309 

plain,  309 
fruit,  French,  312 
grape-fruit,  311 
green  pease,  301 
lettuce,  299 

and  cucumber,  302 
tomato,  302 

romaine,  300 
lobster,  307 

a  1' Allemande,  308 

a  la  Russe,  308 

en  casserole,  308 
macedoine,  301 
melon,  311 
orange,  311 
oyster,  307 
potato,  304 
pot-cheese,  No.  I,  306 

No.  2,  306 

salmon  and  cucumber,  310 
sardine,  309 
shrimp,  307 
string-bean,  301 
sweetbread,  310 

and  celery,  311 
tomato  and  lettuce,  302 
tomato  baskets  with  celery,  303 

with  chicken,  303 
cucumbers,  303 
green  pease,  302 
shrimps,  303 
sweetbreads,  303 
tomato  cream,  529 

Russian  and  sardine,  302 
vegetable,  301 
walnut,  311 

and  apple,  311 
Salads,  294 
Sally  Lunn,  342 
Salmon,  boiled,  57 

au  court  bouillon,  57 
chops,  59 
croquettes,  58 
loaf,  61 


Salmon  pudding,  62 

rechauffe,  57 

smoked,  3,  67 

quick  relish  of,  67 

steaks,  57 

canned,  58 

trout,  creamed,  62 
Salsify,  fried,  274 

fritters,  274 

saute,  275 

stewed,  274 
Sand  tarts,  371 
Sandwiches,  beef,  470 

celery,  469 

cheese-and-lettuce,  467 

chicken,  4,  466 
and  almond,  4 
and  ham,  466 

cream-cheese,  469 

cress,  469 

egg,  46? 

and  anchovy,  467 
deviled,  5 

French,  468 

ham,  466 

lettuce,  5,  469 

lobster  mayonnaise,  467 

mayonnaise,  468 

mutton,  471 

nasturtium,  6 

peanut,  6 

piquant,  469 

raisin,  470 

roll,  466 

sardine,  467 
and  olive,  4 

sausage,  470 

savory,  468 

supper-cheese,  471 

tongue,  468 

tutti-frutti,  470 

walnut-and-cheese,  470 
Sardine  canapes,  464 
Sardines  au  gratin,  68 
Sardines,  broiled,  527 

grilled,  4 
Sauce  (pudding),  403 

banana  fritters,  412 

brandied  peach,  406 

brandy,  404 
hard,  407 

cream,  403 


INDEX 


547 


Sauce,  custard,  405 

egg,  405 
fruit-juice,  405 

puree  of,  407 
hard  brandy,  407 

pink,  407 

ruby,  407 

white,  407 
jelly,  405 

lemon  souffle,  404 
milk-pudding,  403 
plum-pudding,  379 
sherry,  404 
souffle  (cold),  404 
strawberry,  No.  i,  406 

No.  2,  406 

No.  3,  530 
tart  claret,  406 
tutti-frutti,  408 
vanilla,  403 
Sauces  (savory),  313 
Allemande,  318 
anchovy  egg,  319 
Bearnaise,  325 
Bechamel,  No.  i  (for  fish),  318 

No.  2  (for  meat),  318 
Bordelaise,  324 
bread,  324 

brown  or  Spanish,  316 
butter,  317 

tartare,  317 
caper,  323 
celery,  323  - 
Chateaubriand,  324 
Chaudfroid,  326 
chestnut,  323 
clam,  320 
cranberry,  No.  i,  325 

No.  2,  325 

No.  3,  325 
cream,  316 
cucumber,  No.  i,  321 

No.  2,  321 

No.  3,  321 
currant  jelly,  326 
curry  egg,  319 
egg,  319 

anchovy,  319 

curry,  319 
Hollandaise,  317 

green,  317 
horseradish,  323 


Sauces  (savory)  (Continued) : — 

lobster,  No.  i,  320 
No.  2,  320 
No.  3,  321 

"  made  mustard,"  327 

maitre  d'hotel,  323 

mint,  322 

mushroom,  324 

onion,  323 

oyster,  No.  i,  320 
No.  2,  320 

Robert,  326 

sorrel,  322 

soubise,  323 

Spanish,  316 

supreme,  318 

tartare,  326 

tomato,  No.  I,  321 
No.  2,  322 

velofite,  326 

white,  315 
Sausages,  145 

breaded,  145 
Sauterne  cup,  479 
Savories,  462 
Savory,  a  Chicago,  464 

an  English,  464 
Scallops,  creamed,  77 

fried,  No.  i,  77 

No.  2,  77 
Scones,  Scotch,  346 

Sunnybank,  346 
Scotch  tid-bit,  a,  464 
Scotch  woodcock,  464 
Sea  kale,  261 
Shad,  baked  au  court  bouillon,  50 

boiled  au  court  bouillon,  51 
with  egg  sauce,  51 

broiled,  50 

fried,  52 

planked,  52 

roes,  52 

broiled,  53 

croquettes  of,  53 

scalloped,  54 

stuffed,  54 
Shaddocks,  8 
Sherbet,  Lamed  tea,  477 

orange,  477 

pineapple,  476 

strawberry,  476 
Sherry  cobbler,  478 


548 


INDEX 


Shortcake,  black  raspberry,  416 
breakfast  berry,  350 
currant,  416 
orange,  416 
our  grandmothers',  349 
strawberry,  No.  I,  415 
strawberry,  No.  2,  415 

No.  3,  415 
Shrimps,  coquilles  of ,  a  la  Torquay, 

88 

creamed,  89 
curried,  89 
deviled,  6,  88 
stewed,  88 
Slaw,  hot,  261 
Smelts,  broiled,  60 

fried,  60 
Snipe,  1 80 
Soup  a  la  Russe,  13 
Soup,  amber,  12 

another  Lenten  broth,  25 
asparagus,  cream  of,  30 
beet,  cream  of,  31 
brown  consomme,  17 
calf's  head,  or  mock  turtle,  35 
cauliflower  broth,  25 
celery  consomme  royale,  14 

cream  of,  28 
clam,  38 

and  oyster  chowder,  43 
bisque,  39 
creamed,  40 
Florida,  39 
broth,  527 
chowder,  No.  I,  42 
No.  2,  42 
Bar  Harbor,  526 
clear  brown,  13 
celery,  16 
tapioca,  15 
with  croutons,  16 
with  green  pease,  16 
chicken  and  corn  broth,  27 
bisque,  24 
bouillon,  16 
broth,  20 
consomme,  16 
consomme,  brown,  17 

chicken,  16 

corn  and  tomato  chowder,  26 
chowder,  26 
cream  of,  32 


Soup,  crab  bisque,  526 

Martha  Washington,  41 
cream  of  asparagus,  30 

beet,  31 

celery,  28 

of  corn,  32 

green  pea  (Swedish),  30 

lettuce,  29 

Lima  bean,  31 

onion,  29 

oyster,  38 

sorrel,  29 

spinach,  31 

tomato,  30 

turnip,  29 
eel,  42 

English  barley  broth,  21 
fish  bisque,  40 

chowder,  No.  I,  43 

No.  2,  44 
giblet,  36 
green  pea  and  tomato  puree,  34 

cream  of,  30 
Gumbo,  No.  I,  35 

No.  2,  36 

Highlander's  delight,  27 
Julienne,  14 

printanidre,  14 
lettuce,  cream  of,  29 
Lima  bean,  cream  of,  31 
liver,  36 

lobster  bisque,  39 
mock  turtle,  35 

beans,  puree  of,  33 
New  Jersey  broth,  22 

chowder,  44 
onion,  cream  of,  29 
ox-tail,  34 
oyster  bisque,  38 

a  la  reine,  39 

cream  of,  38 
potato  puree,  32 

browned,  32 

rabbit,  or  "  old  hare,"  37 
rice  and  curry  puree,  34 
salmon  bisque,  40 
Scotch  broth,  20 
sorrel,  cream  of,  29 
spaghetti,  15 
spinach,  cream  of,  31 
split  pea,  puree  of,  33 
Sweetbread,  13 


INDEX 


549 


Soup,  tomato  and  rice  broth,  23 
cream  of,  30 

turnip,  cream  of,  29 

veal  and  sago  broth,  23 

vegetable,  24 

vermicelli,  15 

Virginia  game  broth,  28 

white  veal  broth,  22 
Soups,  10 

clear  stock  for,  12 

Spaghetti  and  mushroom  timbales,243 
sweetbread  timbales,  242 

plain,  240 

Spinach  a  la  Geneve,  256 
Spinach,  boiled  plain,  256 

French,  255 

German,  254 

in  a  mould,  255 

souffle,  255 
Sprats,  smoked,  4 
Squabs,  broiled,  179 
Squash,  baked,  269 

boiled,  268 

fritters,  269 
Strawberries,  458 

and  claret,  459 

in  ambush,  457 

jelly,  445 
Strawberry  Charlotte,  446 

foam,  445 

French  cream,  444 

sponge,  445 
Sturgeon,  baked,  65 

steaks,  65 
Succotash,  244 
Sunny  bits,  463 
Sweetbread  croquettes,  121 
Sweetbreads  &  la  poulette,  120 
Sweetbreads   and   brains,  croquettes 
of,  121 

braised,  120 

broiled,  119 

fried.  120 

roasted,  119 

stewed,  119 

TARTINES,  savory,  463 

sweet  pepper  and  cheese,  463 
Tartlets,  lemon,  432 
Tarts,  apricot,  429 

cranberry,  429 

currant,  430 


Tarts,  gooseberry  (green),  430 
lemon  (Christmas),  432 

plum  and  cream,  428 

rhubarb,  430 
Tea,  cambric,  475 

making,  214 

sherbet,  Larned,  477 
Terrapin,  imitation,  121 

Philadelphia,  74 

stewed,  73 
Tipsy  parson.  448 
Toast,  baked,  353 

egg,  200 

tomato,  354 
Tomato  aspic,  299 
Tomato  paste,  506 
Tomatoes  au  gratin,  245 
Tomatoes,  baked,  No.  I,  246 
No.  2,  247 

broiled,  with  sauce,  245 

Calcutta,  curry  of,  248 

creamed,  247 

curried,  248 

deviled,  249 

East  Indian  ragotit  of,  249 

fried  in  batter,  249 
green,  528 
plain,  249 

scalloped,  No.  i,  246 
No.  2,  246 

spiced,  492 

stewed,  245 

stuffed,  No.  i,  247 
No.  2,  248 

with  sauce  piquante,  248 
Trifle,  gooseberry,  443 

hedgehog,  448 

orange,  447 

peach.  No.  i,  443 
No.  2,  449 

raspberry,  443 

sponge-cake,  443 

tipsy  parson,  448 
Tripe,  stewed,  104 
Tropical  snow,  460 
Trout,  brook,  62 
Turkey  and  sausage  scallop,  167 

boned,  168 

chestnut  stuffing  for,  165 

Florentine  roast,  165 

galantine  of,  167 

hashed,  168 


550 


INDEX 


Turkey,  oyster  stuffing  for,  166 
scalloped,  166 
second  day,  166 
Turnips    and    carrots     &    la    Paris- 

ienne,  277 

Turnips,  mashed,  277 
puree  of,  277 
young,  276 
fried,  277 
stewed,  276 

VEAL,  109 

and  ham  pates,  114 

and  ham  pie,  113 

and  mushroom  scallop,  114 

braised  breast  of,  no 

chops  or  cutlets,  in 

"  company  dish  "  of,  114 

eggs  in  nest,  &  la  Turin,  116 

fillet  of,  roast,  no 

stewed,  112 

knuckle  of,  stewed  with  dump- 
lings, 112 
loaf,  115,  529 
loin  of,  roast,  no 
mock  pigeons,  115 


Veal,  pressed,  or  galantine,  116 

scalloped,  113 

shoulder,  roast,  ill 

souffle,  117 

steaks,  ill 
Venison  pasty,  182 

roast,  182 

steak,  182 
Vinegar  celery,  509 
Vinegar,  mint,  508 

onion,  509 

tarragon,  509 

WAFFLES,  minute,  353 

rice,  353 

risen,  353 
Welsh  rarebit,  No.  I,  209 

No.   2,  210 

No.  3,  210 

No.  4,  210 

Wild  cherry  bounce,  480 
Woodcock,  1 80 

YEAST,  333 
hop,  333 


/ 

/  ; 

*+j**  &+..*•*{[>*-* 

jL     -Vo^^ 


f 

v  — 


'     NM* 


^ 


'    %AA/>    dter^ 


r 


•  ' 


U.C.  BERKELEY  LIBRARIFS 

•iili 


RETURN        MARIAN  KOSHLAND  BIOSCIENCE  AND 
TO  — t  NATURAL  RESOURCES  LIBRARY 

2101  Valley  Life  Sciences  Bldg.    642-2531 

LOAN  PERIOD 


7  DAYS 


ALL  BOOKS  MAY  BE  RECALLED  AFTER  7  DAYS. 


DUE  AS  STAMPED  BELOW. 


UUb 

REC'D  BIOS 

JUL  I  3  ZUU3SE 

P  2  7  ^uoo  -3  2 

«PM 

RFC'D  RIO* 

;      DUE 

Hit    1  ft  TH  ^A  Ot 

rJAN  ')&  2o&7 

JUL  1  8  ^E4| 

;  rlfl 

IBJECTTORECA 

_U 

SEP  2  7  2006 

